# Is COVID transmission airborne?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-covid-transmission-airborne/955327>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [December 2, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-covid-transmission-airborne/955327 "2021-12-02T01:37:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-covid-transmission-airborne/955327/21 "2021-12-06T03:29:21Z")

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> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> That seems to suggest it is airborne.
> 
> If so, then why do we have to wear masks?
> 
> Most of the air I expel when breathing with a mask on poofs out the sides of the mask (as my foggy glasses can attest to). Likewise, the air I breathe in is largely coming in from around the edges. And, more to the point, the disease will come in through the air ducts in my building (I live in a hi-rise). So, even at home I am at risk?
> 
> And, perhaps most importantly, how is it planes are still allowed to fly and carry passengers? A closed tube with people shoulder to shoulder and aerosol transmission? Talk about a super-spreader machine.

Viruses are in water droplets of various sizes. The viruses themselves can be quite “sticky” and will adhere to surfaces. So even a poofy mask will prevent a good number of particles from escaping. It will certainly prevent a trajectory of virus right at someone else’s face. That’s why they are encouraged as source control.

A poofy surgical mask can even protect a wearer from an occasional viral cloud as long as the viral particles are fairly dilute like they could be in well-ventilated grocery store. The only time you really need to have a good mask is in small indoor spaces with a lot of people. Even airplanes have such good ventilation that your only worry is people right next to you.

Here’s a thread from a while ago with lots of links. @Retzbu_Tox provided a ton of excellent links nearly half-way through the thread.

> [@SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Mask Effectiveness (Factual)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sars-cov-2-variants-and-mask-effectiveness-factual/946102):
>
> In this [thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/1660), @puzzlegal, @ThelmaLou, @Jay_Z, and I were discussing the robustness in protection of masks against the new Delta variant. I started this thread to avoid hijacking that one. The question is, does the higher transmissibility of the Delta variant decrease the effectiveness of masks? [Why The Delta Variant Is So Contagious: A New Study Sheds Light : Goats and Soda : NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/07/08/1013794996/why-the-delta-variant-is-so-contagious-a-new-study-sheds-light) A few things to consider: The viral load in the respiratory tract (1000X higher in Delta variant), will effect…

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**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-covid-transmission-airborne/955327/22 "2021-12-06T03:54:38Z")

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Thanks! I think I’ll build myself one of those.

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