Sneezing and Coughing Creates A Rain Cloud of Infectious Diseases
Loyola MedicineEach sneeze, cough or burp generates a cloud of invisible gas that propels droplets of infectious material farther than originally thought, and smaller droplets actually travel farther than larger ones. A new study from MIT researchers published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics says this gas cloud extends the reach of droplets by 5 to 200 times. “Colds, flu, measles, TB and other airborne diseases can be transmitted through the air by a simple sneeze,” says Sylvia Suarez-Ponce, RN, infection control practitioner at Loyola University Health System. “The new study reinforces that sick people need to stay home for the sake of the community.”