Thread by @Madeline_Ford_

@HarvardHealth tells us how #COVID19 is spread. “Aerosols are emitted by a person infected with coronavirus when they talk, breathe, cough, or sneeze. Another person can breathe in these aerosols and become infected with the virus.” #ph260720
health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-c…

Do you know what an aerosol is? Choose the definition below:
1. A substance that is stored in a can
2. Tiny particles or droplets suspended in air
3. A chemical
#ph260720 #aerosoltransmission

Aerosol can be generated from coughing, sneezing, talking, breathing, and other sources (specifically in surgery) like burning of tissue and sawing of bones. #ph260720 #aerosoltransmission

Aerosols are suspended in air for a duration based on their size. The larger the particle, the faster the fall to a surface. #ph260720 #aerosoltransmission

Picture source: doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin…

The air that suspends the particles controls where the particles or droplets will spread. The Institute for Health in the Built Environment @uoregondesign shows how air controls the movement of the aerosol in this clip: vimeo.com/417486851
#ph260720 #aerosoltransmission

Not all aerosols contain infectious viruses, like #COVID19. Some aerosols contain bone matter or tiny bits of tissue. #ph26072

How would you feel if you knowingly went into an environment where aerosol particles were circulating but you didn’t know if or what types of pathogen you would be exposed to? #ph260720 #aerosoltransmission #pathogen

Healthcare workers are exposed to all types of aerosols every day. Some aerosols may have a high risk for respiratory infectious (like COVID) and others may not be infectious, but could still cause irritation in the lungs. #ph260720 #aerosoltransmission #HCW

Healthcare workers do their bests to limit their exposure by wearing personal protective equipment, but is there something else we could change to protect them? #ph260720 #aerosoltransmission #PPE #HCW

More research is needed, but implementing special airflow technology used for maintaining clean air in the operating room in other areas of healthcare could reduce the exposure for healthcare workers in all settings! #ph260720 #aerosoltransmission #builtenvironment