They’re heavier than other viruses.
And, finally, the good news. While Covid-19 spreads through the air on respiratory droplets, there is one fact limiting how far the virus can travel: its weight. Coronaviruses are physically larger and heavier than other known respiratory viruses. So while Covid-19 infects hosts via mucus droplets, its infectious range is lower relative to other viruses because its mass limits how far it can travel before succumbing to gravity. Case in point, coronaviruses can only travel about one to two meters, less than seven feet, before they start falling to the ground. Compare that to much more infectious viruses like measles or chickenpox, both of which are much lighter and able to remain airborne on tiny dust particles.
And, finally, the good news. While Covid-19 spreads through the air on respiratory droplets, there is one fact limiting how far the virus can travel: its weight. Coronaviruses are physically larger and heavier than other known respiratory viruses. So while Covid-19 infects hosts via mucus droplets, its infectious range is lower relative to other viruses because its mass limits how far it can travel before succumbing to gravity. Case in point, coronaviruses can only travel about one to two meters, less than seven feet, before they start falling to the ground. Compare that to much more infectious viruses like measles or chickenpox, both of which are much lighter and able to remain airborne on tiny dust particles.
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