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research article

Superspreading events suggest aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by accumulation in enclosed spaces

Kolinski, John M.  
•
Schneider, Tobias M.  
March 22, 2021
Physical Review E

Viral transmission pathways have profound implications for public safety; it is thus imperative to establish a complete understanding of viable infectious avenues. Mounting evidence suggests SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted via the air; however, this has not yet been demonstrated. Here we quantitatively analyze virion accumulation by accounting for aerosolized virion emission and destabilization. Reported superspreading events analyzed within this framework point towards aerosol mediated transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Virion exposure calculated for these events is found to trace out a single value, suggesting a universal minimum infective dose (MID) via aerosol that is comparable to the MIDs measured for other respiratory viruses; thus, the consistent infectious exposure levels and their commensurability to known aerosol-MIDs establishes the plausibility of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Using filtration at a rate exceeding the destabilization rate of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 can reduce exposure below this infective dose.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevE.103.033109
Web of Science ID

WOS:000650939300010

Author(s)
Kolinski, John M.  
Schneider, Tobias M.  
Date Issued

2021-03-22

Publisher

AMER PHYSICAL SOC

Published in
Physical Review E
Volume

103

Issue

3

Article Number

033109

Subjects

Physics, Fluids & Plasmas

•

Physics, Mathematical

•

Physics

•

infection

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
EMSI  
ECPS  
Available on Infoscience
June 5, 2021
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/178483
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