Originally Posted by
Radgirl
If it is ONLY droplets, then there is no transmission unless someone coughs and sneezes and you are within about 2 feet
Actually, no. Speaking, laughing and crying can also generate droplets - though not as copiously violent or far-flung as coughing or sneezing. Nonetheless it definitely happens, and can have a range greater than two feet - though mostly not, thank goodness.
In other words, you can still have transmission in close contact to people who don't seem ill, without going so far as to say "it's aerosol transmission". This is one of the reasons why a surgical mask (or even a home-made unit) is still better than no mask at all. Even in the presence of asymptomatic carriers, it will help defend against this kind of droplet, whereas it would be all but useless against an aerosolized virus.
Hence the two metre rule for those of us able to follow it, and (hopefully) a sensible level of masking and other protection those who cannot. Such as cabin crew.