Volunteers were locked in a room with flu patients, but no one caught it
A flu transmission experiment didn’t spread the flu. Here’s why
- A study involved volunteers spending days locked in a small hotel room with people actively infected with flu to see whether flu would spread under conditions designed to favour transmission.
- Despite prolonged close contact and shared activities, none of the uninfected volunteers contracted influenza.
- Researchers suggested three main reasons for the lack of transmission: low virus shedding from the infected adults, partial immunity among the volunteers, and the effect of air circulation in the room.
- The findings indicate that coughing and sneezing are key drivers of influenza spread, particularly from individuals who shed large amounts of virus, and that immunity and air movement are crucial factors.
- The study highlights the nuanced nature of flu transmission, emphasising that not everyone sheds virus at the same level and not everyone is equally vulnerable, while still advocating for public health guidance like vaccination and mask use.