Could we stop coronavirus if we just stayed 3 feet away from each other?
As coronavirus continues its spread across the United States, health officials have recommended people stay away from crowded areas.
But does that actually help prevent the spread of the disease?
Here’s what health experts have to say.
To protect against coronavirus, the World Health Organization recommends a practice called social distancing, which it says involves staying at least 3 feet from someone who is coughing or sneezing.
If possible, people should be about 6 feet from anyone else, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a notice last week. Health officials also recommend avoiding large gatherings and group settings.
Social distancing is advised because people release droplets that can spread the virus from their bodies when they cough or sneeze, according to officials.
“If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease,” The World Health Organization said.
How can I stay away from others?
Across the country, major gatherings have been suspended due to concerns about the spread of the virus. Leaders canceled this month’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, and NCAA March Madness basketball games will be played without spectators.
Several universities have also moved to online classes, and companies have asked their employees to work remotely.
“Testing for the disease helps public health officials to determine what the best social distancing measures are and when to implement them in a community,” Dr. Ralph Morris of the Water Quality & Health Council told Newsweek. “Early implementation can help reduce the spread of disease as well as a surge in the number of cases.”
In 2009, researchers studied an H1N1 flu outbreak in Mexico and found an 18-day school closure reduced transmission by up to 37 percent, according to the National Institutes of Health.
“We believe that gave some time to the Mexican government, to the world also, to prepare for what was coming,” research leader Gerardo Chowell told BuzzFeed News. “The vaccine started to be developed.”
Though decisions to suspend gatherings are sometimes left to school administrators and event organizers, everyone should maintain their distance from others, Time and other outlets report.
That’s because someone can have the virus while still feeling healthy, possibly spreading it to older people or others at higher risk of getting the disease, news outlets report.
How will coronavirus stop spreading?
Public health measures, including suspending large events, could slow the spread of the virus while researchers develop a vaccine, McClatchy News reported Monday.
Health experts say cases could decline if enough people are vaccinated against the disease, but that protection isn’t yet available, according to the CDC.
Another potential end to the coronavirus outbreak could come if enough people develop immunity after getting sick with the disease, McClatchy News reported. It’s also possible that the virus comes back as a seasonal illness or that the spread of infection slows in the summertime, disease experts say.
“As with all past outbreaks, this one will eventually come to an end,” Live Science reported last month.
Nationwide, the CDC said there were 1,215 coronavirus cases and 36 deaths as of Thursday. The cases were in 42 states and the Disrict of Columbia.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Could we stop coronavirus if we just stayed 3 feet away from each other?."
