Don2 (Don1 Revised)
Contributor
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/517489-cdc-causes-new-storm-by-pulling-coronavirus-guidanceThe CDC on Friday published guidance indicating that the novel coronavirus could spread through aerosol droplets, acknowledging that the virus could transmit beyond six feet and suggesting that proper indoor ventilation is a key way to slow the spread of the virus.
The CDC said the virus was known to spread “through respiratory droplets or small particles, such as those in aerosols, produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, talks or breathes.”
The update was not publicly announced, but it was first noticed by CNN on Sunday.
By Monday morning, the agency had removed the language on airborne spread from its website and reverted to the previous guidance.
I've been mentioning this for a while now that studies show a sneeze can go 27 feet and the droplets can stay in air a long time. But politics. They don't want a panic. They also probably do not want a distraction of less common things to disrupt trying to fix things and bring everything back up.
However, all that said, when local persons try to implement policies they ought to be aware of the science. For example, local schools across the country are implementing lunch in classrooms out of fear of the cafeteria. They have students sitting 3 feet away without masks eating. They would certainly realize this is way riskier had the government been honest and open about this. They then may have decided to not do full reopenings quite yet or maybe to do lunches in some other way, like outside with more distancing or whatever. I do not claim to be creative enough to come up with the best solution but clearly they could reduce risk better with proper information.