Most recently, this was supported by a study of flu transmission published in July in the journal PLOS Pathogens. The study found that aerosols were an “an important mode of influenza virus transmission,” particularly in closed spaces with lower ventilation rates. The findings are indicative that the same thing is likely true of COVID-19, as it is caused by a respiratory virus similar to the flu. What’s more, the study found that that infection rates dropped when ventilation improved. Therefore, ventilation concerns make road trips a dangerous move. “Sharing a car is one of the highest-risk interactions I have had to look at in my life,” Erin Bromage, PhD, a biology professor who researches infectious diseases at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, told Good Morning America on July 31. To Bromage’s point, riding in a car with someone makes it next to impossible to maintain six feet of distance, and if the air filter in the vehicle isn’t as functional as it should be, the car becomes ripe for potential aerosol transmission. If you can’t avoid a situation where you have to share a car, Bromage recommends at least taking one simple safety precaution. “In cars and ride sharing, we want the windows open,” he said. “It makes things safer.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Speaking to ABC News, James Malley, Jr. PhD, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of New Hampshire, echoed Bromage’s advice when asked about the best ways to prevent spreading the virus. “A lot of common sense things like increasing fresh air, not having a lot of people in an enclosed space, wearing masks,” he said. “That all makes a difference.” And for another factor that can make you more vulnerable to infection, check out You’re Twice as Likely to Catch COVID If You’re This Height, Research Says.
