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Infected after 5 minutes, from 20 feet away: South Korea study shows coronavirus’ spread indoors

A South Korean study raises concerns that six feet of social distance may not be far enough to keep people safe from the coronavirus.

SEOUL — Dr. Lee Ju-hyung has largely avoided restaurants in recent months, but on the few occasions he's dined out, he's developed a strange, if sensible, habit: whipping out a small anemometer to check the airflow.

It's a precaution he has been taking since a June experiment in which he and colleagues re-created the conditions at a restaurant in Jeonju, a city in southwestern South Korea, where diners contracted the coronavirus from an out-of-town visitor. Among them was a high school student who became infected after five minutes of exposure from more than 20 feet away.

The results of the study, for which Lee and other epidemiologists enlisted the help of an engineer who specializes in aerodynamics, were published last week in the Journal of Korean Medical Science. The conclusions raised concerns that the widely accepted standard of six feet of social distance may not be far enough to keep people safe.

The study — adding to a growing body of evidence on airborne transmission of the virus — highlighted how South Korea's meticulous and often invasive contact tracing regime has enabled researchers to closely track how the virus moves through populations. 

"In this outbreak, the distances between infector and infected persons were ... farther than the generally accepted 2 meter [6.6-foot] droplet transmission range," the study's authors wrote. "The guidelines on quarantine and epidemiological investigation must be updated to reflect these factors for control and prevention of COVID-19."

Meaning just be careful others not get if from you. There is no approved teeatment. 

Yes Airborne is scary word! Health care and busjnesses should bring a lot of changes to meet the chalanges arising from respiratory spreading pathogents we will update you! Unbiased and cery educating topics

3,000 death in single day, it is 9/11 in December! What are politicians do?