What Risk In The Two Scenarios Is Higher For Covid?

Posted on Mon, 9 Nov 2020

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 9 Nov 2020 Answered on

Wed, 7 May 2025 Last reviewed on

Question : What risk in the two scenarios is higher for Covid? 1. A person wearing a mask having a conversation with four other people all wearing mask and having a conversation 6 feet or more apart for 15 minutes. No one currently has symptoms but the four have been putting themselves at risk. What is the risk for the one person? 2. Having four workers (all of whom go from home to home providing services) in your home for 16 hours total over two days. The homeowners all have on mask but the workers do not. One designated person goes downstairs about 3 times for 5 minutes each time. When the workers leave, the homeowners do about 4 hours worth of cleaning. What is the risk for the homeowners?

Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Scenario 2 would pose higher risk for COVID-19 transmission

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for trusting us with your health question

Out of the two scenarios you have detailed in the question, the second one poses a higher risk for transmission of infection. According to the latest CDC guidelines, a total of 15-minute exposure spread in small intervals over a 24 hour period is sufficient to transmit COVID-19.
In the first scenario, everyone is wearing masks maintaining 6 feet distance. So the risk of transmission is minimized by 65% compared to the second situation.
Even though the homeowners are wearing masks, they are exposed to workers in a closed space who are not wearing facial protection,.

The best situation is when all are wearing masks, maintaining 6 ft distance, washing hands and sanitizing intermittently.

Hope this answers your question
Please address additional questions here
Regards
Dr.Lekshmi Rita Venugopal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T