PLoS Biol February 2010 PMID 20186267

Absolute humidity and the seasonal onset of influenza in the continental United States.

Jeffrey Shaman, Virginia E Pitzer, Cécile Viboud, Bryan T Grenfell, Marc Lipsitch

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Mentions

135

Peak: 32 in Mar 2020

across 6 sources since Feb 2010

Extended reach

536,190

potential audience

Total likes

701

Video views

112,232

Mentions per month

Feb 2010 – Nov 2025

Where it's discussed

X / Twitter91 posts
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Facebook10 posts
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AI synopsis

What people are saying

Overall, the discussions show strong support for the importance of absolute humidity in flu transmission, with many referencing specific models and past studies, like those by Jeffrey Shaman, and discussing practical implications such as humidifiers and climate factors, which demonstrates active engagement and recognition of the research's potential influence.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most commenters agree that absolute humidity plays a significant role in influenza seasonality, supporting the findings of the publication.

InterestHigh interest

Discussions reflect high interest, with many sharing insights, references to past studies, and debating implications for public health, indicating engagement and curiosity.

EngagementHigh engagement

Many posts cite specific mechanisms, models, and additional research, demonstrating deep engagement with the research's methodology and consequences.

ImpactModerate impact

Posts suggest the study could influence health policies and understanding of virus transmission, but some express skepticism or call for more evidence, indicating a moderate perceived impact.

Abstract in brief

The study shows that low absolute humidity during winter months in the U.S. is linked to increased influenza-related deaths, suggesting humidity affects virus survival and spread.
Researchers used a model that incorporated humidity levels to successfully simulate the seasonal pattern of influenza mortality, implying humidity directly influences virus transmission rates.
The findings support the idea that changes in absolute humidity are a key factor driving the seasonal outbreaks of influenza in temperate regions, impacting public health responses and prevention strategies.]

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All mentions

Seasonality of COVID-19 and Its Likelihood of Summer Decline

This video discusses whether COVID-19 will diminish during summer by examining influenza's seasonal patterns, environmental factors, human behavior, and immunity. It highlights how humidity affects virus survival and…

Medmastery · Mar 10, 2020 111,476 views

Effectiveness of Face Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This video discusses the effectiveness of face masks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as declared by the WHO. It references several studies, including those by Rancourt and Jacobs, exploring mask efficiency in…

javiersmaug · Mar 2, 2021 476 views

Researchgate Censorship of Mask Science and Viral Infectious Dose

Former Professor Denis Rancourt discusses the removal of his mask science review from Researchgate and explores the importance of understanding viral infective doses for public health safety.

Half Popped · Sep 18, 2022 281 views

Random Critical Analysis

@rcafdm · X

May 18, 2023 · 2 likes · 13,921 followers View post →

manu

@m_a_n_u______ · X

@gerdosi @FranBGoncalves @ZahawisHorse @overcatbe @xinfinity22 @BretWeinstein @chrismartenson @proteinMD @jjcouey @2Genervter @Clucky92864053 @c0v1d1984 @Medic4allHuman Shaman's work implies that the high transmissibility (large RO) arises from small aerosol particles fluidly suspended in the air; as opposed to large droplets that are quickly gravitationally removed from the air. —> Air dryness —> physical loss https://t.co/dmmA49QvQI

Jul 25, 2022 · 1 like · 1,929 followers View post →

Michael McConville

@reasonoverfear · X

@GaryGannonTD He's talking bollox as usual. Regarding respiratory viral pathogen transmission, humidity is the only known physical measurement directly correlated. https://t.co/9FtAvZ1ghE https://t.co/Q1VhU1eurH So close the windows and buy a humidifier. https://t.co/MAplN11kUi

Dec 1, 2021 · 27,023 followers View post →

@BarbaraCastor2 · X

I've read articles in the past about lower flu prevalence and severity in the PNW. I don't see any now. I found this, I wonder if/how it relates to SCV2? #PLOSBiology: Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States https://t.co/JaZW8fOffS

Nov 11, 2021 · 1,244 followers View post →

J.min

@Jmin123456789 · X

@nishiurah @uchiyamasunao インフルエンザのですが https://t.co/Sm6aWpYo9L

Oct 13, 2021 · 321 followers View post →

Admiraal de Ruyter

@320Squadron · X

@pjligh @JamesWard73 Seasonality in colder climates related to lower absolute humidity during dry winter days . Hot climates possibly related to drying air due to airconditioning. Whether abs humidity also effects the mucus membrane ability to protect is another question https://t.co/gQa7A1Yr1t

Oct 3, 2021 · 185 followers View post →

EnriqueDaniel Austin

@EnriqueDAustin · X

@RWMaloneMD @rr_mandy There's a study from 2010 that correlates humidity/dryness with seasonality of influenza, which also applies to cov. -https://t.co/2juySVQNsh -https://t.co/PHZaBpUtgD

Aug 31, 2021 · 1 like · 1,024 followers View post →

Igor

@ipMCMLXXXI · X

@SandraWors3 @bmj_latest https://t.co/ETvjUObIC4

Aug 26, 2021 · 48 followers View post →

Igor

@ipMCMLXXXI · X

@Oudwood4 @igkolev @MichaelPSenger @FriendsOScience No, it starts when absolute humidity drops https://t.co/ETvjUObIC4

Aug 15, 2021 · 48 followers View post →

Random Critical Analysis

@rcafdm · X

@Webster69Dw @jankulveit @NateSilver538 More like warmer climate -> higher specific humidity outdoors -> higher humidity indoors (however measures) -> lower transmission rates, mostly. https://t.co/TyVNq3IEAj

Jun 14, 2021 · 13,921 followers View post →

Dieles Stolk

@DCSZ14 · X

@mus_nico uit 2010 "Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States." https://t.co/mwAdZPLegO Dus zo bijzonder is het nou ook weer niet. 2/2

May 24, 2021 · 1 like · 1,508 followers View post →

alaric

@Alaric_E · X

May 6, 2021 · 3 likes · 118 followers View post →

Freckled Liberty

@FreckledLiberty · X

RT @ChestyPullerGst: @critzm120 @FreckledLiberty https://t.co/bHoYSVwbTp https://t.co/ZV5wtp04ME https://t.co/mG3OwNbFXL https://t.co/Mp…

Mar 30, 2021 · 1 share · 110,399 followers View post →

Chesty

@ChestyPullerGst · X

@critzm120 @FreckledLiberty https://t.co/bHoYSVwbTp https://t.co/ZV5wtp04ME https://t.co/mG3OwNbFXL https://t.co/MpowNeWOph https://t.co/gQVPDijBY6 https://t.co/nYhZoHyXvO https://t.co/Xp4cPDQAHY

Mar 30, 2021 · 1 like · 1 share · 26,681 followers View post →

D'ARAMITZ

@2ndNewMoon · X

Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States. https://t.co/nfjhtp5mX6

Feb 18, 2021 · 4,811 followers View post →

Ing Rahamposse No More

@ings4palin · X

@awarrior828 @whatdefook Shaman, J. et al. (2010) “Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States”, PLoS Biol 8(2): e1000316. https://t.co/iHsmdmODOz

Feb 17, 2021 · 2,204 followers View post →

Ing Rahamposse No More

@ings4palin · X

@nationalpost @healthing_ca 100% false Shaman, J. et al. (2010) “Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States”, PLoS Biol 8(2): e1000316. https://t.co/iHsmdmODOz

Feb 17, 2021 · 1 like · 2,204 followers View post →

Ing Rahamposse No More

@ings4palin · X

@FrayedBlueJeans @ThomasEWoods educate yourself. "The 50-percent probability MID easily fits into 1 aerolized droplet..the explanation & model of Shaman et al. (2010) is not dependent on the particular mechanism of humidity-driven decay of virions in aerosol/droplets." https://t.co/iHsmdmODOz

Feb 10, 2021 · 2,204 followers View post →

D'ARAMITZ

@2ndNewMoon · X

@janecpacker @trishgreenhalgh expecting a doctor carrying a stethoscope to be expert in materials science, aerodynamics, propulsion or even ventilation, is a big ask, hospital air is the very best for flu, in moist air droplets hit the deck, covid could stay aloft indefinitely, https://t.co/nfjhtp5mX6

Feb 5, 2021 · 4,811 followers View post →

Mike Wintersgill

@MikeVirtual71 · X

@Elliot_CB @hughesjam3sw @gazzaputt @JuliaHB1 Virus survival within aerosolized droplets is strongly associated with the absolute humidity (AH) of the ambient air, such that virus survival improves markedly as AH levels decrease. https://t.co/Gw4kSrseme - Study was on influenza, but also true for coronaviruses.

Jan 4, 2021 · 280 followers View post →

Olavi Vaittinen

@OlaVaittinen · X

Dec 20, 2020 · 2 likes · 1,021 followers View post →

Chris

@chris_man_85 · X

@RephreshedMind @covidtweets I saw a study early on about this: https://t.co/XxMya5kqcL

Nov 26, 2020 · 2 likes · 226 followers View post →

David

@mitter81 · X

@MickMcDermott10 @mikeonthemarne @GeorgeMonbiot @CatyUpATree https://t.co/ouQMHzN9kb https://t.co/0KINy2VLPn https://t.co/MdBWpz4s8k https://t.co/ORzsahVDY1 https://t.co/i3R9SAeE9p https://t.co/5XJnRCnTBW https://t.co/ETwmjIFk3D https://t.co/Lps7b5sdiC https://t.co/OjUEGzfWw7

Nov 11, 2020 · 1,389 followers View post →

Random Critical Analysis

@rcafdm · X

@LucioMM1 Some researchers have used anomalies to specific humidity which helps disentangle behavioral vs direct environmental effect. The effects are large enough to explain observed seasonality. https://t.co/TyVNq3IEAj https://t.co/4ikhh6aYPE

Nov 11, 2020 · 13,921 followers View post →

David Miller

@xuorac · X

Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States https://t.co/9IF2qndjos

Nov 1, 2020 · 95 followers View post →

The Frizz

@TheFrizz10 · X

@bioZhena Shaman, J. et al. (2010) “Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States”, PLoS Biol 8(2): e1000316. https://t.co/7wN6PJKGNZ

Oct 31, 2020 · 477 followers View post →

Random Critical Analysis

@rcafdm · X

@JayMan471 This paper is particularly useful for this question IMO. Finds humidity anomalies have large effects, which can explain these patterns quite well, and it's unlikely to be confounded by seasonal behavioral changes. https://t.co/TyVNq3IEAj https://t.co/BpTMu0wfKJ

Oct 29, 2020 · 1 like · 13,921 followers View post →

Random Critical Analysis

@rcafdm · X

@JeffCavanagh1 @wildkatphoto @kakape @MackayIM https://t.co/TyVNq3IEAj

Oct 22, 2020 · 13,921 followers View post →

ScienceBeTold

@ScienceBeTold · X

@MLevitt_NP2013 @BaizuoBu @BallouxFrancois @sciencebetold 1/ Prof's: Lipsitch constructed a model in 2010 predicting influenza mortality via absolute humidity as key driver, see doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000316

Oct 21, 2020 · 1 like · 46 followers View post →

Ryan Hisner

@LongDesertTrain · X

@DavidElfstrom @CorsIAQ @j_g_allen I don't know, but it seems to be a fairly standard measure. This study on the same subject, co-authored by @mlipsitch used kg/kg as the measure of absolute humidity. https://t.co/gFIrEZKzZW

Oct 19, 2020 · 22,731 followers View post →

J.min

@Jmin123456789 · X

RT @RCAFDM: This seems to mostly be the result of higher rates transmissibility in the air (droplets and particles) and higher virus surv…

Oct 17, 2020 · 1 share · 321 followers View post →

Random Critical Analysis

@rcafdm · X

Oct 17, 2020 · 2 likes · 1 share · 13,921 followers View post →

Random Critical Analysis

@rcafdm · X

@SilverVVulpes This paper is particularly useful IMO for the question of behavioral vs environmental (SH) change in winter, even tho it focuses on influenza. Humidity anomalies do a good job explaining changes in transmission https://t.co/b1jldX92Yi https://t.co/rkIHUgMp8M

Oct 12, 2020 · 13,921 followers View post →

sara.art

@saraart4 · X

Influenza in the Continental United States", PLoS Biol 8(2): e1000316. https://t.co/3p7P9yI0DQ Tracht, S. M. et al. (2010) "Mathematical Modeling of the Effectiveness of Facemasks in Reducing the Spread of Novel Influenza A (H1N1)", PLoS ONE 5(2): e9018. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.

Oct 9, 2020 · 1 like · 8,490 followers View post →

Marek_Kaletka

@Marek_Kaletka · X

@fabrice026 @Kat__Coffee @Piotr_Ru Pewności oczywiście nadal nie ma, ale ta hipoteza IMO się umacnia. https://t.co/eO7a4CpR7R

Oct 4, 2020 · 1 like · 2,099 followers View post →

Eric Hamilton

@phertret · X

@therealrockguy @HeWasntJogging Actually, low humidity and temperature is good for viruses. That's why every winter has a mortality spike from viruses. Another example of "common sense" being the polar opposite of reality. https://t.co/iaMa1qBsQV

Oct 2, 2020 · 209 followers View post →

Paul Wareham, P.Eng.

@pwareham · X

@jljcolorado Per https://t.co/tkNZmPWHa4 and https://t.co/cQAjcuB4NR there is good evidence of the affect of flu transmission - including aerosols - on environmental humidity. What kinds of differences are we seeing with SARS-CoV2 that would account for the difference in the humidity effect?

Sep 11, 2020 · 507 followers View post →

alaric

@Alaric_E · X

@daniellevitt22 Do you think locking down slowed spread? Each case is different but im not so sure it helped. The curves don't flatten, cases dont disappear. I subcribe to this: https://t.co/d3MriRI2SU

Sep 6, 2020 · 118 followers View post →

alaric

@Alaric_E · X

@AlexBerenson this might explain what happened in the sunbelt https://t.co/9FVP2mYyRL

Sep 1, 2020 · 118 followers View post →

Lorne Alias

@LorneAlias · X

@DrNaderKHijazi1 @JamesTodaroMD I am not a scientist, but this study about absolute humidity is supossed to be telling. By Jeffrey Shaman, et al. https://t.co/oHwQL4AYxP

Aug 17, 2020 · 1 like · 67 followers View post →

Ing Rahamposse No More

@ings4palin · X

4/ R0 is “the average number of secondary infections produced by a typical case of an infection in a population where everyone is susceptible.”: it seasonally varies between “1” in muggy summer to dry-winter values of “4” https://t.co/UDwUD7T6Ps

Aug 11, 2020 · 2,204 followers View post →

JH Raichyk

@cyberhobbiton · X

@denisrancourt knockout possibility i just relayed Shaman to @Piers_Corbyn whose astronomy data blew away the 'climate' hoax with his ability to predict weather from cosmic radiation what if he could find the ANOMOLOUS DROP in Absolute Humidity that Shaman showed https://t.co/NjIp4F8AQf huge!

Aug 8, 2020 · 250 followers View post →

JH Raichyk

@cyberhobbiton · X

@Piers_Corbyn Here's the weather analysis each pre-flu season, showing the anomolous DROP IN ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY that precedes the start of the winter 'burden' [can you find that in the cosmic data???] it would have dynamite potential, eh? https://t.co/NjIp4F8AQf ttyl. https://t.co/or0VAJ3oqr

Aug 8, 2020 · 250 followers View post →

eddie coke

@eddiecoke · X

#PLOSBiology: Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States https://t.co/H0lXVXMG72

Jul 22, 2020 · 1,447 followers View post →

Top

@Topfrom75 · X

@MartinFierro769 ? https://t.co/8cDogKsiqP

Jul 13, 2020 · 161 followers View post →

lafont

@lordvanvan · X

@BFMTV Les masques ne servent à rien https://t.co/Vpb1Rb3wb3 https://t.co/IDUoC4zDLA https://t.co/t6ZDsSSrmk https://t.co/AEuroJ7d7C

Jul 12, 2020 · 90 followers View post →

syb

@silkesyd · X

@BGRMHayFam4 @buckeyemom12 @GovMikeDeWine @jackwindsor 2Absolute humidity or AH. Which makes sense in the US, as our large wave of flu is always in the winter. There is only one mention of novel viruses in this study (introduction) where it mentions that these viruses can possibly spread when there is high AH. https://t.co/yPeSnQWWwu

Jul 10, 2020 · 73 followers View post →

Igor

@ipMCMLXXXI · X

@MariaNunez46 @rmayemsinger @LetitiaMontana And this one again about the flu (sorry, 10 years old too, it's not an iphone :-P) https://t.co/ETvjUObIC4

Jul 7, 2020 · 48 followers View post →

NadyaBell

@NadyaBell · X

Humidity is the major factor in virulence of aresol-spread illness. https://t.co/J6TDDRHU8u

Jul 4, 2020 · 165 followers View post →

Josh Ketter

@sangfroyd · X

@dontreachyngbld Shaman et-al (2010) would disagree. They, as well as other studies, have shown absolute humidity accounts for almost all the changes in transmission. https://t.co/VEkTOepZlN Agred, heat won't kill the virus. But the half-life and transmission rates are reduced up to 80% https://t.co/8WfBLW2GJ3

Jun 24, 2020 · 1,464 followers View post →

Aux Frontières

@aux_frontieres · X

https://t.co/KRuKfFZQjU.

Jun 22, 2020 · 848 followers View post →

Siegfried Treitner

@TreitnerS · X

https://t.co/ezd3iHQ4lS Absolute #Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of #Influenza in the #Continental #UnitedStates

Jun 2, 2020 · 2,149 followers View post →

BanditsToKings

@BanditsToKings · X

@NorthmanTrader Sentiment is overly optimistic especially considering the coronavirus may not be seasonal: https://t.co/97dZGsvaPi

Apr 30, 2020 · 1 like · 1 followers View post →

ElblogdelFINI

@ElblogdelFINI · X

@drmpolitics @carlesenric https://t.co/5OQPIYrWPQ

Apr 6, 2020 · 198 followers View post →

TMB_TTLG_TMW777

@TTmw777 · X

COVID-19 Update 6: Seasonality: will COVID-19 go away in the summer? https://t.co/50vYYDK0LU via @YouTube

Apr 6, 2020 · 395 followers View post →