Can the Coronavirus be spread via flatulence?

“No bare-bottom farting,” said one doctor.  Image via Shutterstock.

– News covered by Quincy Quarry News with commentary added.

A new social distancing concern?
A Shutterstock image

Can the coronavirus be spread via flatulence?

While the media source for this Quincy Quarry story is the New York Post, there appears to be potential validity behind the concerns about the possibility of fecal transmission of COVID-19; for example, an earlier article published in Forbes magazine and based on a published medical journal article.

In any event, two Australian doctors are now weighing in about the potential to spread the coronavirus via “down under.”

Via an Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Coronacast” podcast, Dr. Norman Swan posed a cautionary suggestion when it comes to particles set adrift via flatulence.

Additionally, Australian emergency physician Dr. Andy Tagg also floated the question via Twitter.

So, can the bottom-based emissions of someone with coronavirus be silent and deadly?

That is the question I set out to answer. As you may imagine there is not a great deal of research in this area.

— Andy Tagg (@andrewjtagg) April 6, 2020

Where does it all leave us?

Dr. Tagg, a co-founder of the medical education site Don’t Forget the Bubbles, suggests not throwing caution to the wind. 

No going commando …
A Facebook video still image

Instead, he proposes keeping your pants on and so potentially mitigate the spread of COVID-19 if one is asymptomatic.

Additionally, Quincy Quarry would further advise to not go commando.  The more layers, the better, etc.

Source: Can the coronavirus be spread through farts?

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