(NEXSTAR) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established a “6-foot rule” for social distancing from others amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the interval may not suffice to protect you from COVID while indoors, a new study has found.
“Compliance to the Six-Foot Rule will … substantially reduce the risk of … large-drop transmission,” the study, published this week in the journal PNAS, says.
“However, the liquid drops expelled by respiratory events are known to span a considerable range of scales, with radii varying from fractions of a micron to millimeters.”
The researchers say there is “overwhelming evidence” that indoor airborne transmission associated with “micron-scale” aerosol droplets plays a “dominant role in the spread of COVID-19,” especially so-called superspreader events.
They say, depending on the ventilation and airflow in the space, keeping 6 feet of distance is no different than 60 feet.
To limit the spread of COVID-19, even if you are vaccinated, experts recommend wearing masks while indoors, practicing social distancing and washing hands.