97 Percent of Coronavirus Superspreader Events Take Place Here
Even with states reopened across the country, the coronavirus pandemic is not yet behind us. So how can you start to return to some level of normalcy? One of the most important ways to stay safe is knowing what not to do, and why certain activities are more dangerous than others. In particular, you'll want to steer clear of superspreader events, which have a potential of producing multiple infections. There are several different factors that go into making an activity especially risky, but according to a database chronicling these events around the world, they almost all have one thing in common: 97 percent of superspreader events happen indoors.
That's not to say it's impossible to contract COVID-19 outside, but when it comes to superspreader events (SSEs), the vast majority occur inside. The database looked at over 1,100 instances of events where several people got infected to observe commonalities. This information is essential, because SSEs have been said to be responsible for 80 percent of coronavirus cases. Knowing how to stay away from them can help people stay healthy as more and more places reopen, including in states where outbreaks are still occurring. And while there have been several different kinds of superspreader events, being indoors seems to be the most consistent factor.
This matches the findings of Jonathan Kay, who compiled an earlier superspreader event database for Quillette in April. "With few exceptions, almost all of the SSEs took place indoors, where people tend to pack closer together in social situations, and where ventilation is poorer," he wrote.
Given what we know about how coronavirus spreads, this information isn't surprising. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised individuals to avoid closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places, and close-contact settings—all of which is far more difficult to do indoors. While improvements to ventilation may make indoor spaces safer, being inside makes it harder to maintain social distancing. Not every indoor activity will automatically be a superspreader event, but there are notably fewer risks outside.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/97-percent-of-coronavirus-superspreader-events-take-place-here/ar-BB15QlvH?li=BBnb7Kz