Fluid Dynamical Pathways of Airborne Transmission while Waiting in a Line

TL;DR

This study investigates how airflow patterns and thermal effects influence airborne disease transmission risks while waiting in lines, revealing complex fluid dynamics that challenge existing social distancing guidelines.

Contribution

It combines laboratory experiments and simulations to analyze fluid flow in waiting lines, highlighting factors affecting transmission risks beyond simple physical distancing.

Findings

Fluid countercurrents can increase or decrease transmission risk.

Intermediate temperatures may prolong breath plume presence, heightening risk.

Current six-foot distancing guidelines may be insufficient in waiting line scenarios.

Abstract

Waiting in a line (or a queue) is an important, often unavoidable social interaction that occurs frequently in public spaces. Despite its wide prevalence and rich parametric variability, few studies have addressed the risks of airborne transmission while waiting in a line. Here we use a combination of scaled down laboratory experiments and direct numerical simulations (DNS) to assess the flow patterns and infection risks in a simplified waiting line setting. We observed the presence of fluid dynamical countercurrents, due to the competing effects of line kinematics and thermal gradients, which can either heighten or suppress the risks of transmission. Depending on the walking speed, an intermediate ambient temperature range can potentially heighten the infection risks by allowing the breath plume to linger in the air for extended durations; however, colder and warmer ambients both suppress the spread. The current guideline of increasing physical separation has limited impact on reducing transmission in the waiting line setting. The present work highlights the need for updated transmission mitigation guidelines that go beyond the simplicity of the six feet rule in social interactions where physical separation, duration of interaction, and periodicity of movements are factors.