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CDC Says Ebola Droplets Can Only Travel 3 Feet … But MIT Research Shows Sneezes Can Travel Up to 20 Feet

George Washington's picture




 

This week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) admitted that Ebola can travel through the air in aerosols, but claims that it can never go more than 3 feet.

Let's check their math ...

CDC (like the World Health Organization) admits that Ebola can be spread through sneezing or coughing.

But the CDC itself admits that flu droplets can travel 6 feet.

Mythbusters demonstrated that sneezes can nail people some 17 feet away:

But engineers at MIT show that sneezes can actually travel up to 200 times farther than previously thought ... up to 20 feet.

How?

Gas clouds:

“[The study] changes our current ideas of how far germs can spread in aerosols such as coughs or sneezes,” Mary B. Farone, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at Middle Tennessee State University, told weather.com. “We used to think if we could see the spray, that was the limit of the dissemination, but this study shows that tiny particles, such as bacteria and viruses, can be spread much further on gas clouds.”

MIT explains:

A novel study by MIT researchers shows that coughs and sneezes have associated gas clouds that keep their potentially infectious droplets aloft over much greater distances than previously realized.“When you cough or sneeze, you see the droplets, or feel them if someone sneezes on you,” says John Bush, a professor of applied mathematics at MIT, and co-author of a new paper on the subject. “But you don’t see the cloud, the invisible gas phase. The influence of this gas cloud is to extend the range of the individual droplets, particularly the small ones.”

Indeed, the study finds, the smaller droplets that emerge in a cough or sneeze may travel five to 200 times further than they would if those droplets simply moved as groups of unconnected particles — which is what previous estimates had assumed. The tendency of these droplets to stay airborne, resuspended by gas clouds, means that ventilation systems may be more prone to transmitting potentially infectious particles than had been suspected.

***

The researchers used high-speed imaging of coughs and sneezes, as well as laboratory simulations and mathematical modeling, to produce a new analysis of coughs and sneezes from a fluid-mechanics perspective. Their conclusions upend some prior thinking on the subject.

***

The study finds that droplets 100 micrometers — or millionths of a meter — in diameter travel five times farther than previously estimated, while droplets 10 micrometers in diameter travel 200 times farther. Droplets less than 50 micrometers in size can frequently remain airborne long enough to reach ceiling ventilation units.

A cough or sneeze is a “multiphase turbulent buoyant cloud,” as the researchers term it in the paper, because the cloud mixes with surrounding air before its payload of liquid droplets falls out, evaporates into solid residues, or both.

The study notes:

Our key findings are as follows. The turbulent multiphase cloud plays a critical role in extending the range of the majority of pathogen-bearing drops that accompany human coughs and sneezes. Smaller droplets (less than 50 µm diameter) can remain suspended in the cloud long enough for the cough to reach heights where ventilation systems can be contaminated (4–6 m).

6 meters equals 19.685 feet.

While Slate may have gotten the numbers wrong, they made an entertaining video about the MIT study:

 

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Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:35 | 5385659 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

There are institutional prerogatives at play here...not the least being "I'm a nurse...I traveled to a place where they had a deadly virus that is going viral and has killed thousands and may kill millions. and I have returnedto a place where the virus has killed one but ceetainly kill me, perhapps thousands..perhaps millions here. Ummm " i will immediately get myself checked out to see if i have the infection". The end.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:31 | 5385489 pupdog1
pupdog1's picture

I've found over the years that even the most absurd and bizzare set of facts makes perfect sense when viewed through the right lens.

This applies to the comical lying fuck "Dr." Frieden, the absurd statements of Obola, Obola's continued Ebola Airways flights and granting of visas, hiring a know-nothing Solyndra political whore as the Ebola Czar, maintaining the wide open disease vector called the Southern border, not a peep from a self-enriching congress, and sending our top combat troops (101st airborne) to fight a virus...

The CDC is the marketing department for Big Pharma and the vaccine companies.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:51 | 5385725 pupdog1
pupdog1's picture

From today's Frontrunning:

CDC says returning Ebola medical workers should not be quarantined (Reuters)

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:48 | 5385707 dizzyfingers
Tue, 10/28/2014 - 12:01 | 5386219 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Dr. Jekyll didn't need lengthy clinical trials either.

Just a few minor side effects...

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:53 | 5385955 BigJim
BigJim's picture

I normally take globalresearch.ca articles with a very large pinch of salt. But the ebola carriers' blood  = US government property was a pretty cool legalism.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 11:13 | 5386019 Alea Iactaest
Alea Iactaest's picture

If .gov wants to say that my Ebola-tainted blood is its property then I will make the case that their property is trespassing on my body. In fact I think I'll outline this theory today so my heirs and assigns can press the case.

Seriously, this presents an interesting angle about due care on the part of the property owner. Not to mention negligence and depraved indifference.

Bring it.

 

EDIT: The more I think about this, the more I like it. I wonder who will start the class action lawsuit?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:24 | 5385460 Kina
Kina's picture

Cervical cancer will kill more than 4000 women in the US alone (millions more worldwide) this year, more than have been killed by ebola in this 2013-2014 outbreak thus far.

The primary cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which ends up being contracted by more than 75% of americans who have sex.

So the death rate from contracting HPV is very very low....now if it were something like 50%.....well they would be heavily quarantined..

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:03 | 5385437 lucyvp
lucyvp's picture

is hpv with you forever?  Or does the body eradicate it?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:29 | 5385861 dizzyfingers
dizzyfingers's picture

"is hpv with you forever?  Or does the body eradicate it?"

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856406/

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:59 | 5385425 p00k1e
p00k1e's picture

Ebola is a symptom of trying to keep people alive who shouldn’t be kept alive.  Do gooders are threatening society with their deeds of ‘good’. 

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:36 | 5385890 BigJim
BigJim's picture

I'm guessing if you or your loved ones came down with cancer/malaria/dengue you'd feel the same way? Or is eBola 'special' in this regard?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:55 | 5385421 p00k1e
p00k1e's picture

The nurse is cured!!!

Or the tests don’t work.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:33 | 5385368 atthelake
atthelake's picture

Doctors and patients should not trust one word from CDC. Not one word.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:57 | 5385565 Tenshin Headache
Tenshin Headache's picture

The Completely Discredited Center.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:53 | 5385420 jbvtme
jbvtme's picture

what about docs without borders?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:35 | 5385882 BigJim
BigJim's picture

They do amazing work. But do they have a research arm? I thought they were more hands-on clinical experts.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:27 | 5385354 justtotaketheedgeoff
justtotaketheedgeoff's picture

2011 Nobel prize for medicine MD says asymptomatic contacts should be quarantined because it is not known if they can transmit the disease or not. One study says 13% of infected patients never have a fever.

 

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/10/christies_quarantine_policy_attacked_by_aclu_cdc_and_even_the_un_is_embraced_by_2011_nobel_prize_win.html#incart_river

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:24 | 5385348 TweedleDeeDooDah
TweedleDeeDooDah's picture

An ebola virus particle is MORE than 100 times (even larger than 150 times) the size of influenza virus particles. I doubt (but admittedly don't know) that they "fly" as well as influenza virion.

I'm not going to say that the Washington's Blog is sensationalist, or even sometimes encumbered by it's own hysterics, but you can read it, if you want.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 13:40 | 5386593 Overflow-admin
Overflow-admin's picture

I don't give a fuck of the size of influenza virus - Ebola is 1-14 micrometers and therefore it can stick in small droplets / vapors.

This comment below is more interesting that the article itself ^^

Posted by Matt Dubuque on 18 Sep 2014 at 7:54 pm Quoted directly from ProMed; consult the underlying study for verification:

[3] Infection control is not working
Date: 14 Sep 2014
From: Bjorg Marit Andersen [edited]

Infection control concerning EVD is not working, especially when more
than 240 [now 300] healthcare personnel have been infected, and more
than 120 workers have died. Guidelines used to control SARS in 2003
should be used, not "contact and droplet protection of 1-2 meters," as
is still recommended by WHO.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) for contact and airborne
infections should be used because of
a) respiratory symptoms,
b) a big distance -- up to 9 meters -- for droplets when coughing and
sneezing (Bourouiba et al. J Fluid Mechanics 2014;745:537-563.),
c) re-aerolization from the environment, bed clothes etc.,
d) long survival of the virus outside the body, and
e) high lethality.

Healthcare workers (HCW) and helpers should be protected with PPE as
they were during the SARS epidemic. The SARS epidemic was an infection
control success by the healthcare system of some countries in Asia in
2003. But WHO should not repeat the same failure as was done during
the early phase of the SARS-epidemic by using "contact and droplet
isolation." Separate hospitals for EVD should be built, like in China
(1000 beds in 8 days for SARS), and only patients with laboratory
documented EVD should be cohorted. Suspected cases should be isolated
separately.

HCW and helpers should be trained and especially observed concerning
[putting] PPE on and taking [it] off. The observers should also use
PPE. During the SARS epidemic, HCW were re-contaminated by not knowing
how to take off PPE.

Exposed people and patients with other diseases should be treated in
professional triages to reduce the population's fear of being
EVD-infected during contact with healthcare. Exposed people should be
taken care of by professional helpers.

There is a need for a lot of resources, especially concerning
infection control work.

--
Bjorg Marit Andersen, MD, PhD
Professor in Hygiene and Infection Control
Speciality: Medical Microbiology
Former chief, Department of Hospital Infections
Oslo University Hospital - Ulleval
Gaustadveien 1a 0372 Oslo, Norway

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:37 | 5385504 cheech_wizard
cheech_wizard's picture

>I doubt (but admittedly don't know)

The first step on the path to knowledge. The second step is to not rely on others to spoon feed you answers (this is part and parcel of the liberal mentality, otherwise known as basking in one's own ignorance). It's a big internet out there, try using a search engine.

 

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:47 | 5385703 Citxmech
Citxmech's picture

Influenza virions are typically between 80-120 nm in size (sphereical).

Ebola is filamentous (string-like) 970 nm long (varies). Diameter is about 80nm.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:28 | 5385859 Doomer_Marx
Doomer_Marx's picture

Yes, but the smallest droplet they were looking at in the study were 50 micrometers or 50,000 nanometers. So several viral particles could fit in a droplet. Of course, it may reduce the chance of infection if it reduces the number of viral particles in a droplet. Still the size itself doesn't rule out transmission by droplet. 

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 12:42 | 5386404 Citxmech
Citxmech's picture

Completely agree,  FYI - I've been on record advocating the position that Ebola is transmissable by aerosol since the beginning of this thing.  Beyond sneezing - there's also aerosolization from toilet flushing, vomiting, deficating, agitation from cleaning, etc., etc.

 

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:33 | 5385879 BigJim
BigJim's picture

And people say size isn't important.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:37 | 5385897 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

...

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:22 | 5385344 lester1
lester1's picture

How much other stuff is Dr. Thomas Frieden and the CDC lying about ??

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:19 | 5385338 DukeDog
DukeDog's picture

Word of the Day

Quarantine: A quarantine is used to separate and restrict the movement of persons; it is a 'state of enforced isolation'. This is often used in connection to disease and illness, such as those who may possibly have been exposed to a communicable disease; a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

Headline, October 27, 2014

CDC Rejects Mandatory Ebola Quarantines
Federal Officials Push for Voluntary Isolation of Those at High Risk

Bonus Word of the Day

Liberalism: A mental illness rooted in the delusion that someone else will take care of you.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:36 | 5385378 TweedleDeeDooDah
TweedleDeeDooDah's picture

Cervical cancer will kill more than 4000 women in the US alone (millions more worldwide) this year, more than have been killed by ebola in this 2013-2014 outbreak thus far.

The primary cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which ends up being contracted by more than 75% of americans who have sex.

Obviously, quarantining HPV carriers would undoubtedly save more lives than quarantining people *suspected* of being at risk for ebola.

Bonus bonus word of the day

Reactionary: Someone who thinks the "same old song and dance" should be in every disco; a fucktard.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 14:38 | 5386842 iamrefreshed
iamrefreshed's picture

It's nice to see that you signed your post at the end with your name.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:59 | 5385749 Miffed Microbio...
Miffed Microbiologist's picture

That is the most idiotic spurious argument I have read in a long time. There are hundreds of types of HPV. The vast majority are innocuous. Even with strains that have been shown to cause cervical cancer less then 10% do and usually after 20+ years.

These viruses have been interacting with humanity for a millennia but leave it to modern big Pharm to find a way to make a shit load of money over this. And knowing women react hysterically over such things, a perfect market to exploit.

Miffed

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 10:32 | 5385872 BigJim
BigJim's picture

Aw, enough with the facts already!

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 11:19 | 5386042 Alea Iactaest
Alea Iactaest's picture

Really. Math hurts my brain. Can't we just discuss our feelings about Ebola?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 12:47 | 5386418 AgShaman
AgShaman's picture

Hahahaha.

I'm sure that is just what the MIT attendees at the last Bilderberg meeting were doing....

"Discussing" their feelings about Ebola

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:40 | 5385673 Citxmech
Citxmech's picture

Total deaths due to Ebola as of October 24: 4922.  

4922 > 4000.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:17 | 5385330 skippy9
skippy9's picture

CDC doesn't have a clue about Ebola. They remind me of Dr. House. Try everything until either the patient dies or recovers. About the onle thing that works in Obozo's administration is the military, which AHOTUSA has hamstrung.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:54 | 5385737 Citxmech
Citxmech's picture

The one thing that is obvious with regards to the protocols being put in place to stop the spread of Ebola to the US is that these clowns have been/are making this shit up as they go - there was absolutely no plan in place for this kind of thing which, to me, is pretty concerning,  For fuck's sake, we've known about the potential for a deadly global pandemic for ages.

We've been behind this thing since the beginning and, if anything, we're actually falling farther behind as we go.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 11:48 | 5386169 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

This might have something to do with putting political hacks in top decision making positions instead of qualified medical personnel who treat public safety as their first priority.

There's also a big difference between someone who can run a train vs. someone who can run a railroad.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 06:56 | 5385303 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

So I think the key is whether or not Ebola can be spread whether or not you're showing symptoms ("symptomatic" versus "asymptomatic." I'd need concurrence from Microbiolist's Muff though.)

In other words my first instinct is that the reason why Doctors and Nurses are becoming infected is not because the protocols are not being followed but because people who are asymptomatic are able to pass on the virus.

Based on the EVIDENCE that would seem to me the overwhelming explanation.

If true that would mean this still can be contained...but you would have to create some type of registry or something to see who has Ebola and who does not since there are people who have billions of the virus in them but show no symptoms...and indeed no ill effect from the infection.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:48 | 5385532 dizzyfingers
dizzyfingers's picture

" there are people who have billions of the virus in them but show no symptoms...and indeed no ill effect from the infection"

This is discussed in the book SPILLOVER in context of HIV1, SARS, and other virus including Ebola.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 09:27 | 5385639 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

Indeed.  What is not discussed is why this is attacking our health care system.

We do want an actual healthcare system do we not?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 11:32 | 5386096 drendebe10
drendebe10's picture

WHo woulda thunk a bunch of bueaucrats in the CDC would be an "eboly" shill for the incompetent corrupt arrogant narcissistic illegal indonesian kenyan alien muslim sociopathic pathological liar in chief . 

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 07:53 | 5385418 jbvtme
jbvtme's picture

what is the range of a bowling ball?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 15:34 | 5387071 mccvilb
mccvilb's picture

How far can mosquitoes travel?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:51 | 5385545 atthelake
atthelake's picture

Will the bowling alley sue Spencer? For cleaning costs? For loss of business? Is Spencer liable for the havoc he has created?

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 08:29 | 5385436 Rememberweimar
Rememberweimar's picture

Humans are the Virus... Ebola is mother natures way of curing the disease...

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 15:33 | 5387068 1Inthebeginning
1Inthebeginning's picture

self hatred comes from the devil.

Tue, 10/28/2014 - 15:09 | 5386967 Utah_Get_Me_2
Utah_Get_Me_2's picture

Is that you Dr. Pianka? You must be fucking thrilled with all this Ebola spreading around the world.

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