(1/n) Given recent funding directed to the use of plexiglass barriers for fighting COVID-19, I thought a thread on what experts have said on the topic would be helpful...
(2/n)According to @kprather88 they block big droplets but aerosols float right around them
(3/n) @ShellyMBoulder suggests large plexi barriers may not reduce risk
(4/n) But are effective against spray borne droplets.
(5/n) @CathNoakes says they protect some but raise risk for other:
(6/n) @VVuorinenAalto suggests it can create recirculation zones that interfere with air flow
(7/n) @jljcolorado says that face shields and plexi will not stop the coronavirus
(8/n) @JimRosenthal4 notes that plexi barriers will always create negative flow behind them that draws particles in.
(9/n) @linseymarr comments that partitions increase risk in some locations and decrease risk in others.
(10/n) And a couple articles... this one asks what plexiglass barriers do to stop Covid: qz.com/1913843/will-p…
(11/n) This Princeton study investigates whether plexiglass can assist in reducing COVID-19 risk: nj.com/coronavirus/20…
(12/n) ...last, my $.02 (based on our own testing at AirQ): low barriers can increase the time & distance it takes for aerosols to spread (giving ventilation more time to remove them). Well designed barriers may help. Poorly designed, they will interfere with ventilation.
(13/n) I’ll add this recent comment by @HuffmanLabDU which suggests we shouldn’t be using plexiglass to block aerosols that flow like smoke. BUT they can be useful to reduce droplet spray (eg checkout counters).
Another thread on plexiglass:
Another useful related thread:
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