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Сhit-chat is a public health risk amid pandemic, expert says

Сhit-chat is a public health risk amid pandemic, expert says

The coronavirus’s impact varies on the time spent indoors and outdoors while droplets are the real danger in human-to-human transmission. A casual chat can further aggravate the risk.

About 10 minutes of conversation outdoors and four minutes of chat indoors can seriously increase the risk, Professor Ateş Kara, a member of the Health Ministry’s Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, said.

Kara warned that the risk factor is not affected even if “social distancing” of 1 meter is maintained.

“Being outdoors is certainly an advantage as people can adhere to social distancing more while sunlight’s ultraviolet rays block transmissions better. Yet, as winter approaches, more people are clustered in closed spaces, giving a fertile ground for the virus to spread,” he said.

Kara added that it is of utmost importance to wear masks properly. “The virus will hit harder if we leave our masks loose. This is what we see in Europe and it is safe to say that Turkey faces the same risk. Wearing masks and adhering to social distancing is key at this stage,” he told Anadolu Agency (AA).