Comparing aerosol concentrations and particle size distributions generated by singing, speaking and breathing

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented shutdown social and economic activity, with the cultural sector particularly severely affected. Restrictions on musical performances have arisen from a perception that there is significantly higher risk of aerosol production singing than speaking, based upon high-profile examples clusters COVID-19 following choral rehearsals. However, comparing generation different types vocalization, including singing, across range volumes rapidly evolving area research. Here, we measured aerosols speaking breathing large cohort 25 professional singers genres zero-background environment, allowing unequivocal attribution to specific vocalizations. We do not assess relative at which people speak sing. both showed steep increases mass concentration increase loudness (spanning factor 20–30 dynamic measured, p < 0.001). At quietest volume (50 60 dBA), neither (p = 0.19) nor 0.20) were breathing. loudest (90 100 statistically significant difference 0.001) was observed between but only generating 1.5 3.4 more mass. Guidelines for should be duration number participants environment activity occurs, rather type vocalization. Mitigations such as use amplification increased attention ventilation employed where practicable.Copyright © 2021 American Association Aerosol Research