"Increasing evidences point towards a role for aerosol transmission in the spread of influenza, at least over short distance where exposure to both aerosol and large droplets occurs. In most settings where there is adequate ventilation, long-range transmission does not appear to occur frequently. This distinction of ‘short-range aerosol transmission’ is not merely academic; aerosolized particles would readily penetrate or circumvent ordinary surgical masks, and penetration of aerosolized influenza viruses into the LRT where they can initiate infection would account well for the association of aerosol transmission and severe disease."
and:
"aerosol particles are rapidly diluted, and are removed by ventilation; the infectious risk is critically affected by parameters such as the infectious dose, the amount of infectious particles aerosolized at the source, and the rate of biological decay of the infectious agent. For influenza, a quick ‘back of the envelope’ type of calculation suggests that even for patients with a high viral load the amount of viruses aerosolized in a single sneeze is in fact quite small and would be rapidly diluted as the aerosol disperses; yet, because the infectious dose by aerosol is so small, the infectious risk in proximity of the patient would be significant (Tellier 2007). "
Based on this article, the risk from aerosols can reduced by adequate ventilation and distance.
I think the is a good argument for why social distancing is important, and the use of masks. Masks to help train people to not touch their mouth and nose and to prevent droplets from coming into contact others, and social distancing to help reduce the probability of COVID-19.
But there needs to be research specifically on COVID-19 for aerosol transmission.
There is a Scandinavian study specifically on this virus conducted in a controlled environment.
The virus managed to defy gravity and get into air vents above the patient.
It is in one of the videos here (sorry, don’t remember which video):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD2-QVBQi48RRQTD4Jhxu8w
Mar 3, 2020
Interim Guidance for Protecting Health Care Workers from Exposure to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
Cal/OSHA Requirements
The Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) standard (California Code of Regulations, title 8, section 5199), contains requirements for protecting employees from diseases and pathogens transmitted by aerosols. COVID-19 is an airborne infectious disease covered by the ATD standard.
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Coronavirus-info.html