He reacted to a new study according to which the droplets emitted when coughing or sneezing spread over more than one and a half meters.
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L he revision of the recommendation to keep a distance of one and a half meters between people, according to the rules of “social distancing”, should be “one of the questions to be discussed”, estimates Monday evening the virologist Marc Van Ranst, KU Leuven. He reacted in this sense on VRT to a new study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) according to which the droplets emitted when coughing or sneezing spread over more than one and a half meters. In a hot, humid atmosphere, they could even form a cloud that extends up to eight meters.
The question is therefore whether it is always safe to cross someone “only” a meter and a half away. “Every time an action is taken, you must take an action that can be taken,” says Van Ranst. “At eight meters, all kind of interaction stops. Anyway, this is a vision in progress. More and more countries will start to take it into account. “
“Smarter ways”
Should Belgium do the same? “This is one of the things that needs to be discussed,” said the virologist, without going into details. Marc Van Ranst then pointed out that most countries currently use the 1.5 meter standard. “I don’t see them changing their minds anytime soon. But there may be smarter ways to deal with this matter sensibly. “
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For the KU Leuven scientist, an adjustment of the recommendations is “certainly not for the time being”. He also put the results of the study into perspective. “Particles can indeed go beyond a meter and a half. But most of them, and the risk of contamination, are projected in this first meter and a half. “
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