Onto Understanding the Mitigation of Airborne Pathogen Transmission

This effort summarizes ongoing efforts at the University of Central Florida focused on understanding the fluid dynamics of transmission processes associated with airborne pathogens and the COVID-19 pandemic. The effort uses a combination of experiments, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and Wells-Riley transmission probability models. These studies indicate the efficacy of common approaches such as masks, ventilation system design, and social distancing. In general, we find that all these methods show benefit, however, perhaps the least impactful and most harmful to societal function is social distancing. The effort expands well beyond these established methods and develops novel understanding and methods for control. A few unexpected findings are the relationship between age, health, and transmission. This includes that transmission in children is reduced through their lower emission rate and pulmonary rates. But we also find that the elderly, ill, and women may be less likely to transmit pathogen-carrying droplets/aerosols. In addition, we found unexpected relationships between transmission and the ingestion of foods, which can promote or inhibit the formation of droplets. These processes will be discussed in relation to underlying fluid dynamic processes. These factors are all critical to passive control of the transmission events. Results from these studies will be summarized in the presentation.