WHAT IS A SUPER-SPREADER?
A super-spreader generally refers to a person who infects significantly more people with a disease than is usual.
It’s not a new occurrence; super-spreaders have been documented since the early 1900s. They can spread many different infectious diseases such as typhoid, measles, smallpox, tuberculosis and now COVID-19 too.
It is not known why some people are super-spreaders and others not, but what is known is that by preventing super-events, such as large gatherings, with close contacts, in confined spaces with poor ventilation, we can significantly reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The coronavirus is mainly spread by respiratory droplets from an infected person being transmitted to others by breathing, coughing, sneezing, talking and singing. There is good reason to believe that the louder you talk, the heartier you sing, the harder you breathe during exercise, the more droplets you’ll spread and the further they’ll go!
And as people with COVID-19 are contagious before they have any symptoms, they can spread the virus without even knowing they are infected. This time-lapse gives people a long window of opportunity to spread the virus or, if we’re really unlucky, to super-spread it.
So with the festive season looming, bringing with it not only get-togethers and partying, but a dramatic increase in our population, we urge everyone to be cautious and wise.
REMEMBER you are far more likely to transmit or catch COID-19
- If you have no mask on;
- If your friends have no masks on;
- In a badly ventilated room; and
- In large crowds.
As the group size increases so does the risk of transmission, as well as the likelihood of someone in the group being infectious. Plus the longer the group stays together, the greater the opportunity for the virus to spread amongst it.
Click here to read of a recent super-event in Cape Town
BE KIND – BE CAREFUL – BE RESPONSIBLE – BE SAFE
