Page 10 - IJPS-11-5

International Journal of
Population Studies Human behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Table 2. Virus survival time
Material Average survival time
Plastic Up to 7 days
Stainless steel Up to 7 days
Metal Up to 5 days
Glass Up to 4 days
Ceramic Up to 4 days
Paper money Up to 2 days
Unvarnished wood Up to 1 day
Cloth Up to 1 day
Cardboard Up to 1 day
Paper Up to 30 min
Tissue paper Up to 30 min

contacts (28.3%; 95% CI: 20.2–37.1%) had more infections Figure 2. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 aerosol spray
than child contacts (16.8%; 95% CI: 12.3–21.7%), with rates. Image obtained from Alsved et al., 2020.
spouses (37.8%; 95% CI: 25.8–50.5%) experiencing more
infections than other family contacts (17.8%; 95% CI: for approximately 75–98% of the expected secondary
11.7–24.8%). infections. The index case or patient zero is the first
documented patient in a disease epidemic within a
5.1. Community spread
population, or the first documented patient included in
Three major factors are implicated in community spread: an epidemiological study. A superspreader event happens
the activities of other people, the location, and the presence when an event is crowded and/or is indoors and exhibits
of a nearby superspreader. uninhibited social behavior. Superspreading occurred in
Alsved et al. (2020) reported that there are huge ranges restaurants, bars, nightclubs, churches, nursing homes,
in viral spread depending on a person’s activity, as shown prisons, cruise ships, airplanes (particularly boarding),
in Figure 2. Notably, the impact of wearing a face mask is homeless shelters, colleges, sporting events, and the Sturgis
shown by the rightmost bar in Figure 2. motorcycle rally.
Alsved et al., (2020) reported that the type of wind In May 2020, the CDC erroneously recommended
instrument used in orchestras significantly affects viral maintaining a six-foot distance as a sufficient preventive
spread. Instruments that are larger and oriented more measure; however, infections happened in unexpected ways.
directly toward the audience—rather than toward the Wong et al. (2022) documented a case in which a vaccinated
ceiling or floor—tend to disperse greater quantities of viral individual contracted COVID-19 from another vaccinated,
particles. infected person staying in a hotel room across the hallway,
likely due to viral particles travelling under the doors.
Location also plays a crucial role, as venues vary in
crowd density and ventilation quality. Viral infection rates 6. Prevention of COVID-19 infection
associated with the reopening of various US venues and
activities. As discussions on non-pharmaceutical interventions
(NPIs) unfold, it will become clear that it was possible to
Another primary factor influencing COVID-19 spread avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, beyond ignorance,
is the presence of superspreaders and superspreading a major reason that so many people got infected was the
events. Not all people emit the same number of viral challenging tradeoff between safety and quality of life. Not
particles; rather, the distribution follows a negative being able to go to restaurants, movies, and sporting events
binomial distribution, where a small percentage of people greatly impacted many people’s enjoyment of life. Face
account for the majority of viral emissions. Yang et al. masks were uncomfortable, and taking a rapid antigen
(2021) reported that just 2% of individuals carry 90% of test before seeing friends was onerous. Consequently,
the population’s viral load, as shown in Figure 3. many chose quality of life over safety. For younger people,
Meagher and Friel (2022) estimated that 20% of particularly later in the pandemic, this was a rational
index cases, those with the high viral load, accounted choice.

Volume 11 Issue 5 (2025) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/IJPS025110040