Where did the figure of 100 come from? If you’re within proximity of other people, is it a factor whether you have a roof over your head?
Read more: How to clean your house to prevent the spread of coronavirus and other infections.
Why being indoors matters
We’ve only learned about COVID-19 since the beginning of January. Therefore, the evidence that informed the decision of the government will likely be derived from our knowledge about how large-scale gatherings impact the spread of another virus, like influenza.
It is interesting to note that, despite the flu, there’s no convincing evidence that mass gatherings can affect the transmission of diseases, although it’s widely acknowledged that they can.
We do know that people are more closely proxemized when they are indoors. It’s possible that this isn’t always the scenario, but it’s an assumption that is safe.
In the indoors, the people tend to be in close proximity, while the air can be quieter.
As with other respiratory diseases, COVID-19 is spread through droplets that are expelled from their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze. It is believed that one cough could generate more than 3,000 droplets. These droplets, which are laden with infectious agents, may fly through the air and fall on the bodies of other people. If they let the droplets get into the nose, eyes, or mouth, then they could get sick.
As for all details about the coronavirus, it is still in the beginning, but there is new evidence to suggest that under certain circumstances, the coronavirus could remain suspended in the air.
The study that hasn’t been released yet (which is understandable considering how fast things are going) suggests that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19) is able to survive in droplets for as long as an hour after having been sucked into the air.
If you’re outside, in addition to usually having more spacing between people, the air is more disturbed, and any droplets produced are more likely to be diluted.
This means that there could be several variables that affect the possibility of a virus spreading within a crowd, such as how packed it is, the length of the event, and whether the event is held in a public space or indoors.
The degree to which people who go to events follow their own rules of hygiene and social distancing is also crucial.
Why 100 and 500?
In terms of the numbers the government came up with, there’s no evidence from the literature of science that says viruses can’t spread to less than 100 indoors or fewer than 500 outside. However, the line was drawn somewhere.
The greater the number of people at an event, the greater the number of people who could be infected, even if the case occurred within those in the group. Additionally, the more people there are, the more challenging it becomes to conduct contact tracing in the event that transmission might occur. There are many reasons why it is best to keep things small in gatherings right now.
How should I cancel my event?
It’s not just about the number of people who attend; there are many other factors to take into consideration in the event you have an event in mind, such as their health status and the population of the people present. We created this flow chart to assist you in making an informed decision.
