With a lot of confusion going around regarding COVID-19 related safety measures, Michael Savage, the Ralph J. Roberts Professor of Cardiology, and David Fischman, Professor of Medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, recently laid down the science behind some of the more specific precautionary guidelines for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The six-foot interpersonal distancing recommendation comes from experiments from over a century ago. However contemporary studies have shown that six feet separation might not be sufficient.

Air samples taken six feet away from influenza patients prove to have enough viral particles to be infectious. Additionally, smaller indoor spaces often have air currents that can circulate particles more widely and keep them airborne for extended periods.

As for determining the number of people who can safely gather together at any one time, the number is somewhat arbitrary. But it is important to understand that the potential for virus transmission is directly proportional to the number of people in the group, meaning fewer is better.

Also, hand washing with a lather time of minimum 20 seconds has been shown to eradicate significantly more microbes than the average hand-washing length of 10 seconds.

Read more about the science behind the precautionary measures at The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.

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