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This is a summary of "COVID-19 Outbreak Associated with Air Conditioning in Restaurant, Guangzhou, China, 2020"

 

Can the coronavirus be spread by air conditioners?

Air currents might carry droplets with coronavirus farther than 6 feet, but there's little evidence in this study to support the air conditioner as the culprit.

Key takeaways

  1. Air currents might blow droplets containing coronavirus farther than 1 meter (about 3 feet)
  2. The study does not provide much evidence that the air conditioner was responsible for spreading the virus. There are other equally plausible explanations that the researchers did not address

Why is this important?

Even with shelter-in-place orders, people still have to go out to perform essential tasks, whether that is going to work, getting food from the grocery store, or washing laundry. A major concern has been the risk of catching coronavirus while outside, so understanding how the virus is spread in an indoor setting can help us better reduce the risk that the virus will spread. This is especially important as some states are starting to re-open. Understanding how the virus spreads indoors could change how we manage facilities like restaurants or laundromats.

What did the study do?

How was it reported?

Original Paper DOI10.3201/eid2607.200764

COVID-19 Outbreak Associated with Air Conditioning in Restaurant, Guangzhou, China, 2020

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