New research suggests runners should be further than 2m apart – Runner’s World (UK)

Update: 14 April – this is a new story, with constantly emerging data. Since publishing, a number of experts have spoken out about the flaws in this study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed or non-peer-reviewed.

As many runners get used to new social distancing rules while the UK remains in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, one study has suggested staying two metres apart from your fellow runner isn’t enough. Increased social distancing should be practised when exercising outside, a Belgian and Dutch study has found.

Running, walking and biking all pose a higher risk for contamination than simply standing, according to researchers at KU Leuven and TU Eindhoven.

When a person breathes, coughs or sneezes, they expel respiratory droplets into the air. Physical activity, like running, often causes these droplets to travel further than the recommended distance of two metres.

‘The recommended distance [of two metres] is very effective when people are moving slowly, but the situation is different when it comes to the active movement in sports,’ Bert Blocken, the study’s coordinator, told the Brussels Times.

‘When you are moving — running, cycling, walking — you are actually creating an area behind you that is often called a slipstream,’ he explained. This slipstream, which can be as long as 15 metres, is made up of tiny droplets that are then inhaled by the person behind you.

The study compared three different positions – running beside someone, running diagonally behind someone and running vertically behind someone. It found that running vertically behind someone, or in their slipstream, presented the greatest risk of infection.

However, because of the slipstream’s narrow width, the risk drops significantly when the runner moves to the side. So if do find yourself behind another, you’re better off moving diagonally behind them.

Take extra caution when moving, especially at speed, when outside. Runners and slow cyclists should maintain a distance of at least 10 metres when moving in a straight line. Walkers should also be careful, keeping a distance of five metres.

You can further reduce your risk by avoiding parks or only entering them at off-peak times. Although the study did not test the transmission rates in other conditions, Blocken advised that the same measures should also be applied in windy weather.

Of course, it’s worth noting that due to the pandemic, this study has not been peer reviewed. At the time of writing, the UK Government advice on exercise has not changed, however it might be worth avoiding crowed routes or running early in the morning or late in the day, in order to allow for further distancing.

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