Virus lifespan on surfaces and in air explained

[Munroast]

it does not float in the air for 3 hours, it is carried by droplets only, like from a cough,sneeze,ect then it starts to fall to the ground or surfaces. this is info from a medical expert on LBC.

the original video said it could live in the air as an aerosol for 3 hours, so I was thinking that was based on the half life thing?
yes, I would think it would fall to the floor - but do all aerosols? can some just float about indefinitely ? same weight as air

if it was a gravity thing and the aerosol droplets made their way slowly downwards' would tall people catch less viruses than short people ?

 

[Brigadier]

it does not float in the air for 3 hours, it is carried by droplets only, like from a cough,sneeze,ect then it starts to fall to the ground or surfaces. this is info from a medical expert on LBC.

In completely still air, you would be correct.
But air is rarely completely still.
Even gentle warning will cause convection currents, which will keep smaller particles (or droplets) "floating".

 

[EFLImpudence]

There isn't a safe level.If you had no immune system 1 virus could cause problems.

Then, if half-life applies, you will have to continue my table until you get to one and wait for that one to 'die'.
The length of time being dependent on the number there was to start with.

...but that is what you are saying if The higher the dose the more difficulty the immune system will have coping with it. So a single "droplet" gets safer and safer over time. That's all the half life is about.

No, it isn't.

Imagine your head in a bucket of plutonium compared with small piece of it stuck to the top of it. The 1/2 life is the same for both but one will cause far more damage over a bigger area than the other but both may well kill you.

You clearly don't realise what half-life means.
Half of a large number is more than half of a small number but both are dividing by the same number - two.

The radio activity never goes away; it just reduces to a safe level after a very long time.

 

[Brigadier]

No, it doesn't.

If it was then - If level 20 in my list represents a safe level (it might be level 30 I don't know).

Then it depends at what level you start how many half-life time periods are needed to get there, doesn't it?

I presume that the term "half life" here refers to the concentration of virus particles. Given that, with half - life never actually reaching zero, if you used it for the time the virus was actually viable, that would logically mean that some of the virus particles are actually immortal.

 

[ajohn]

it does not float in the air for 3 hours, it is carried by droplets only, like from a cough,sneeze,ect then it starts to fall to the ground or surfaces. this is info from a medical expert on LBC.

In theory you can catch from the breath of some one you pass or wind might help it get to you but yes it will settle.

I need to take a short walk daily. Yesterday I held my breath if some one came too close, not that it will definitely help. Today people were making sure they stayed clear or we did. Then a jogger ran past - could do nothing. Well over weight, red faced and panting so heavily I could hear it well before he was really near us. That's why I turned to look but didn't fancy diving over a hedge. No doubt listened to the pundit on yesterdays gov chat talk and deciding to try and get fit. She suggested jogging. Probably around 50 so may do himself more harm than good by pushing too hard.

 

[breadnbutter]

In completely still air, you would be correct.
But air is rarely completely still.
Even gentle warning will cause convection currents, which will keep smaller particles (or droplets) "floating".

it does not float
m8 I got my info from an expert, lets not complicate this, it does not linger in the air for hours, it is carried by droplets, that instantly starts fall to the ground within a certain distance. that's why they have the keep your distance rule. yes someone coughing outside in a windy day it might travel further but still fall to the ground. it does not linger or float about for hours.

 

[ajohn]

I presume that the term "half life" here refers to the concentration of virus particles. Given that, with half - life never actually reaching zero, if you used it for the time the virus was actually viable, that would logically mean that some of the virus particles are actually immortal.

It's a mathematical idea used in other areas that in the radioactive case predicts the decay rate. It crops up with other things as well. No different in the case of a virus really other than having 1/2 a virus is a bit difficult. But people can if they wish think what ever the like - the only thing that matters is reality.

 

[Brigadier]

it does not float
m8 I got my info from an expert, lets not complicate this, it does not linger in the air for hours, it is carried by droplets, that instantly starts fall to the ground within a certain distance. that's why they have the keep your distance rule. yes someone coughing outside in a windy day it might travel further but still fall to the ground. it does not linger or float about for hours.

Given a small enough droplet / string enough convection current, the virus will remain floating indefinitely.

Like a malteser.....

 

[EFLImpudence]

As I pointed out the other day, we often and even you sometimes get sand blown across from Africa.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Given a small enough droplet / string enough convection current, the virus will remain floating indefinitely.

Has anyone ever seen a cloud - or fog?

 

[Munroast]

so the upshot is - to be safe don't go into a supermarket if anyone else has been in it in the last 3 hours.

 

[breadnbutter]

Given a small enough droplet / string enough convection current, the virus will remain floating indefinitely.

look I got my info from medical expert, it does not float around for hours. go argue with the experts.

 

[^woody^]

The only difference is size

Only? It's a massive difference in terms of how viruses can be spread or caught.

 

[Brigadier]

so the upshot is - to be safe don't go into a supermarket if anyone else has been in it in the last 3 hours.

Is about the size of it....

 

[Brigadier]

look I got my info from medical expert, it does not float around for hours. go argue with the experts.

What does a medical expert know about how things "float"?