A new report from scientists at Aalto University in Finland has looked at the effect of somebody coughing in a supermarket aisle. Good Morning Britain’s Dr Hilary warned viewers that the particles expelled in a cough could travel as far as “two aisles over” and “three metres high”. He also issued advice for those social distancing and isolating during the coronavirus crisis.

Dr Hilary told ITV: “We know the virus is transmitted through droplets and particles.

“When people sneeze or even talk or cough, their particles are in the atmosphere. They hitherto haven’t been thought to travel very far.

“So if you’re out in the open air, the virus is quickly dispersed and it decays quickly under the influence of fresh air and ultraviolet light.

“So if you distance by two metres to other people, you’re thought to be safe.”

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He continued: “The Finland research graphic of the particles that are being shared, carried around in the circulating air of the supermarket, travels for two aisles.

“There’s a particle height on the right, so the particles that are expelled in somebody’s exhaled air from coughing can rise up to three metres high.

“What we thought before is that the droplets are quite heavy so they fall to the ground.

“They might fall on products, in which case people wash their hands. That’s why we say wash your hands when touching packaging or packets. We know that the virus can live on surfaces for a while.”

The expert added: “But this suggests that the droplets, the viral particles can float in the air for a lot longer than we formally thought.

“It needs to be substantiated again, one study isn’t enough to get too exercised about. However, this will be of concern.

“I think what’s important is that it reinforces the fact that people who are coughing should not be out anyway.”

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Dr Hilary also told viewers: “If you’re coughing, if you’re symptomatic, don’t go to the supermarkets. It makes absolute common sense and logical sense, doesn’t it?

“That’s the first thing. The second thing is if we imagine these particles are floating in the air, imagine a shaft of light coming through and you can see bits of dust in the air. If you imagine it like that, then they’re around.

“I think the graphic shows a concentration of viral particles there that looks like a cloud, looks like a storm.

“But actually we’re talking about a few particles lasting for a little while.

“We’re all going to be exposed, that’s one of the reasons why this virus is so transmissible because it is in the air.”

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