We have covered the dangers that particulate matter (PM) alone can bring, and now we not only address fellow travelers that can also have significant impacts on grooming businesses and personal health, but also the consequences in maintaining clients and experienced groomers.
Commenting on this subject is more a logical theory than hard fact backed by specific scientific studies. The spread of seasonal illness, certainly by virus, does not enjoy a consensus from the scientific community.
The World Health Organization mentions three routes for virus spread with a healthy debate over influenza spread between nearby aerosol delivery and faraway aerosol spread delivery via particulate matter (PM), confounding a consensus opinion.
The relationship between seasonal illness (cold, flu, etc.) and PM2.5 has scarcely been examined. Studies are incomplete in literature on microbes and particulate matter (PM). On this subject, there is an urgent need for medical studies, especially after experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, its variants, and how we may prevent future errors on virus spread and eventually the unexpectedly high death rates.
Viruses constantly mutate. New bacteria and fungi are constantly developing and call for more successful method to slow down the spread and contain the threat until other solutions such as vaccines or pharmacological solutions can be developed to protect populations.
I cannot speak to all the probable transfer challenges, however, in airborne transmittal certain lessons have been learned in the past and should be quite evident, such as:
- Aerosol transfer via sneezing or coughing is generally limited to the immediate area within a modest radius and masks to varying degrees of filtration are quite helpful at reducing spread.
- Liquid discharge that settles on surfaces can be sanitized with many different, commercially available products.
- Limiting crowded venues and close contact during the pandemic appears to slow virus spread.
- Crowded, busy, compact, indoor venues appear to be more conducive to virus spread.
- Populous with immature or challenged immune systems were most vulnerable and less likely to survive.
- Complete isolation was not very successful at reducing spread, even raising the question of natural immunity’s role in reducing mortality rates.
- An airborne virus is the smallest, lightest contaminant that stays in the air the longest, making it a longer-term threat.
- The probability of PM, especially PM2.5 and smaller, being the major transfer vehicle of virus, bacteria, and fungal spread is very high.
For the animal care industry to overlook the reality that direct contact, surface contact, or small radius, aerosol discharge may not really be the major challenge in protecting working personnel, patients, or clients, and all others entering your facilities.
Stay tuned for more of the science behind particulate matter (PM) and what that means for pet grooming, including solutions.
Till Next Time,
-The Professor