How Do You Combat Aerosolized Coronavirus Droplets?
Lyndon Conaway
We have the service for just that!
More and more evidence is being released--even by the Trump administration--that coronavirus is spread through the air. What does this actually mean though?
For starters, as a new NBC News article states, “Until now it was understood that the coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, talks or breathes, and experts still believe that is the main way it is spread. But now experts also agree that airborne transmission is a key piece of the COVID-19 puzzle.”
To some it may sound like “respiratory” and “airborne” are the same thing; when in fact, they differ in important ways.
Respiratory droplets are quite larger than airborne or aerosolized particles (microscopic droplets). This size difference means respiratory droplets are heavier and don’t travel as far since they fall to the ground quicker. Hence the CDC guidelines of six feet or more of space. If someone coughs or sneezes in your area, and you are more than six feet away, it’s thought you have a better chance of not inhaling infected particles as they haven’t had a chance to get to you.
Aerosolized particles on the other hand are extremely small--we are talking smaller than 5 micrometers in size. At this size, infected particles can travel much farther than respiratory particles. As wind currents and other forces help keep them afloat, the likelihood you inhale one is much greater even though the droplet size is smaller. So keeping your distance (particularly indoors) won’t help you as much in the case of a sneeze or even regular breath.
No wonder the novel coronavirus is so contagious.
As the owner of a cleaning and disinfecting company, when I come across news like this, I think about what I have in my cleaning arsenal to combat certain modes of germ transmission. To clean or disinfect surfaces, spray bottles and fancy electrostatic sprayers are great; the latter of which will cost you over a couple grand. In the case of disinfecting surfaces where the larger respiratory droplets may have settled, a simple spray and wipe with those tools will do most often. But what do you do about the smaller aerosolized droplets that are lingering in the air?
Luckily, over the last 14 years I have introduced novel ways to combat everyday diseases and improve the health of homes and communities. In those years I’ve learned that sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. As it relates to coronavirus and germs: fight infected aerosolized droplets in the air with fog.
Crazy question: why fog? Fog can be generated at a small enough size for disinfectants to stay afloat for hours--much longer than droplets from spray bottles. The longer the disinfectant remains in the air, the greater the chances of it coming into contact with germs and infected particles.
Although this practice has been deployed where infection control is critical, applying this logic is starting to take hold in everyday spaces as negative news about the coronavirus is coming out. Venues like classrooms, storefronts, places of worship and more are quickly adopting our fogging services as a way to take extra steps to protect their students, customers, and congregants.
If you’re looking for extra protection and disinfection, look no further than Germz Be Gone Disinfectant Fogging Services. You can price your fogging online or we can customize a disinfecting program with you. Either way, start protecting yourself and those you care about today!