Germany’s aerosol experts have told the Government that the COVID-19 virus tends to spread more rapidly and exclusively indoors through aerosols. It was a critical assessment of the COVID-19 measures that focus on restricting outdoor activity for people in Germany.
A group made up of scientist and academic put across the debate on transmissions happening in places like outdoor beer gardens or parks and said the focus should be on indoor preoection. This is especially home, offices and schools.
The leaders of the Society for Aerosol Research 9GAeF) called on the government to partially rethink their strategy in the handling of the pandemic especially when it came to setting the restrictions. They sent an open letter as their appeal.
The letter was addressed to the German chancellor, the Health minister and teh 16 heads of federal state.
They pointed out that protection against infection must take place above all where people spend time indoors.
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The central statement of the group is: “The transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 viruses takes place almost without exception indoors.”
When outdoors, the virus is transmitted ‘extremely rare’ and does not lead to so-called cluster infections or widespread contagion.
Most of the danger around the virus spreading is in people being within closed spaces or indoors. The risk of cluster infections is highest in places like old people homes, residential homes, schools at events etc.
The researchers warn: “If we want to get a grip on the pandemic, we have to make people aware that danger lurks inside.”
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The group said the debate on coronavirus measures does not reflect current scientific knowledge, adding that many people have the “wrong ideas about the contagion potential associated with the virus”.
They added that measures that limit people from being outdoors and restraining them indoors take away from the concept of ‘its dangerous outside’.
The members of the GAeF are appealing to the federal government, state leaders and ministries to strengthen protective measures indoors instead.
The authors of the letter also mention regular airing or the use of air purifiers in old people’s homes, schools and offices, as well as urging people to wear masks indoors.
Source: the local.de