Spreading Covid: Talking loud as risky as singing
Both produce equal amounts of infectious aerosols, study claims
Talking loudly in pubs is just as risky as singing when it comes to spreading Covid-19, a UK Government-backed study has found.
The research was used to inform ministers' decision to allow indoor concerts and stage performances to resume last week. Questions were raised about people's safety in rowdy pubs, where there is often music playing and revellers have to shout to be heard.
Previous studies had indicated that prolonged singing produced more aerosols and therefore made it easier for Covid-19 to infect people.
The virus is mainly released into the atmosphere when the infected produce plumes of droplets, often through coughing or sneezing. Smaller infectious particles called aerosols are released by talking loudly. These can linger in the air for longer periods of time and can be inhaled.
The latest paper, carried out by a team of British scientists concluded that singing produced just as much aerosols as speaking loudly. The academics, from Imperial College London, University of Bristol, Wexham Park Hospital,
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and the Royal Brompton Hospital, examined the amount of aerosols and droplets generated by 25 professional singers.
The performers were asked to do singing, speaking and breathing exercises and were also examined while coughing. Exercises included individuals singing and speaking 'Happy Birthday' at various noise levels. The researchers found that the aerosol mass produced rose steeply with an increase in volume of singing or speaking, by as much as 20-30 times. But singing did not produce substantially more aerosols than speaking at a similar volume. There was also no difference in aerosol production between different genres such as choral, musical theatre, opera, jazz, gospel rock or pop.
Professor Jonathan Reid, who lead the study, said: ' The study has shown the transmission of viruses in small aerosol particles generated when someone sings or speaks are equally possible with both activities generating similar numbers of particles.
' Our research has provided a rigorous scientific basis for Covid-19 recommendations for arts venues to operate safely for both the performers and audience by ensuring that spaces are appropriately ventilated to reduce the risk of airborne transmission.'
Dr Julian Tang, honorary associate professor in respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester, described it as a 'useful study' but poked holes in its methodology. She pointed out that the researchers only analysed singers on a one-to-one basis, whereas live musical performances normally see multiple people singing at once.