[burger]

Here's a good recap on the droplet versus aerosols debate:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00974-w

I don't think it comes to a conclusive view either way, and my original issue was with the poster who stated definitively "The virus spreads by aerosols".  I certainly would not rule out aerosol spread, and as the article I linked notes, it will take years to settle the debate definitively.  It is entirely reasonable to say "the virus may spread by aerosols, and in a (relatively) small room like a classroom, that could become a big problem".

I still stand by my assertion that the droplets are likely the dominant mode of transmission, based on the fact that most of the contact tracing has found that close contact (<2 meters, >30 min) is required to have efficient transmission.  Were aerosols the dominant mode of transmission you would see a spread pattern that is a lot more like measles, which is spread by aerosols.  Still, I would not be surprised if there is at least some aerosol transmission, and certainly if someone wanted to make the case that in the face of possible aerosol transmission that stronger restrictions on schools are warranted, I don't think I would necessarily disagree.  But I nonetheless don't want people to get the idea that aerosol transmission has been established.

BC

I didn't actually mean to use aerosol in my original post--I just meant "through the air"...not necessarily aerosol as opposed to droplets. 

But I think the medical authorities are being far too cautious here in waiting for proof of aerosol transmission.  That Korean call center example certainly implies something besides droplets, right?  All of the employees were using the same bathroom, but nearly all the sick ones had desks on the same side of the office . And the Chinese restaurant had a similar pattern, with people getting sick a few meters away from the original infected person.

Reopening schools as if aerosol transmission is not happening would be a brobdingnagian mistake.  Far better to assume the worst and plan for it than to get caught with another outbreak because we decided that desks 6' apart were some sort of magic barrier against the virus.

[burger]

Here's a good recap on the droplet versus aerosols debate:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00974-w

I don't think it comes to a conclusive view either way, and my original issue was with the poster who stated definitively "The virus spreads by aerosols".  I certainly would not rule out aerosol spread, and as the article I linked notes, it will take years to settle the debate definitively.  It is entirely reasonable to say "the virus may spread by aerosols, and in a (relatively) small room like a classroom, that could become a big problem".

I still stand by my assertion that the droplets are likely the dominant mode of transmission, based on the fact that most of the contact tracing has found that close contact (<2 meters, >30 min) is required to have efficient transmission.  Were aerosols the dominant mode of transmission you would see a spread pattern that is a lot more like measles, which is spread by aerosols.  Still, I would not be surprised if there is at least some aerosol transmission, and certainly if someone wanted to make the case that in the face of possible aerosol transmission that stronger restrictions on schools are warranted, I don't think I would necessarily disagree.  But I nonetheless don't want people to get the idea that aerosol transmission has been established.

BC

I didn't actually mean to use aerosol in my original post--I just meant "through the air"...not necessarily aerosol as opposed to droplets. 

But I think the medical authorities are being far too cautious here in waiting for proof of aerosol transmission.  That Korean call center example certainly implies something besides droplets, right?  All of the employees were using the same bathroom, but nearly all the sick ones had desks on the same side of the office . And the Chinese restaurant had a similar pattern, with people getting sick a few meters away from the original infected person.

Reopening schools as if aerosol transmission is not happening would be a brobdingnagian mistake.  Far better to assume the worst and plan for it than to get caught with another outbreak because we decided that desks 6' apart were some sort of magic barrier against the virus.