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This is woeful science reporting. 1/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/07/vapers-covid-19-20-per-cent-likely-transmit-infected-non-smoker/
The study (a pre-print) essentially looks at how much more air people exhale while vaping compared to someone who is not vaping. The answer is not a lot. An extra 1% is typical, rising to 5-17% at 'high intensity'. 2/ https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.21.20235283v3.full.pdf
The researchers helpfully put this in the context of other things a person might do, such as speaking. This doubles or triples amount of air/droplets exhaled. 3/
So, in conclusion, being around a vaper is safer than being around somebody who is talking or coughing. 4/
In terms of avoiding SARS-CoV-2, you should keep a distance of two metres, as you would with anyone else. 5/
So how has this been reported? The article starts by confusing vapour with smoke and claims vapers are 'up to 20%' more likely to spread Covid. Compared to whom? Compared to someone sitting silently, but that is not explained. Also, it should also say 'up to 17%'. 6/
I always wondered if we would see the day when a relative risk of one per cent would be considered newsworthy. That day has finally arrived.
The risk is only inferred anyway, as the authors make clear. The study didn't look at infections. 7/
The risk is only inferred anyway, as the authors make clear. The study didn't look at infections. 7/
Note the conflation with smoke again, which doesn't suggest a deep understanding of the subject by the writer. 6/
The Daily Mail has also got in on the act, as you might expect. 7/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9236029/Vapers-17-likely-spread-coronavirus-study-says.html
The study hasn't been peer-reviewed, but the same researchers published a similar study recently which concluded with some remarks that journalists should take on board. 8/ END https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1437/htm
I’ve blogged about this here. https://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2021/02/covid-19-and-vaping.html
Dr Sussman is the lead author of the study. https://twitter.com/robertosussman/status/1359219661322129408
