Avoiding COVID-19: Aerosol Guidelines

TL;DR

This paper develops a mathematical model to understand COVID-19 aerosol transmission and provides quantitative ventilation and occupancy guidelines to reduce infection risk.

Contribution

It introduces a simple aerosol transmission model and offers practical ventilation and occupancy recommendations based on outbreak analysis.

Findings

Aerosol transmission is a significant COVID-19 spread route.

Ventilation and occupancy adjustments can mitigate transmission risk.

Quantitative guidelines are proposed for workplaces.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the need to understand respiratory virus transmission mechanisms. In preparation for an anticipated influenza pandemic, a substantial body of literature has developed over the last few decades showing that the short-range aerosol route is an important, though often neglected transmission path. We develop a simple mathematical model for COVID-19 transmission via aerosols, apply it to known outbreaks, and present quantitative guidelines for ventilation and occupancy in the workplace.