"From an infectious diseases point of view, where my world is concerned with stopping [coronavirus] spreading, then it doesn’t make sense not to have joggers wearing masks," Professor McMillan said.
"People who are exercising expel their breath further and therefore you need to be further away from them to avoid infection."
University of NSW epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws said joggers exhaled particles from deep within their lungs when they puffed, making them a risk if they were within days of developing symptoms.
"Either they need to jog somewhere else or wear a face shield," she said. "If they want to jog, jog on an empty beach or jog on an oval, and don’t jog if you’re feeling unwell."
Professor McLaws pointed to an April study in the journal Physics of Fluid, which modelled how far a plume of particles expelled in the breath could travel.
The model suggested that in winds of up to 4km/h, particles could travel up to six metres in five seconds before beginning to settle and disperse.
This would make social distancing while jogging without a mask very difficult along footpaths or in a public park, she said.
Daniel Thorne runs regularly around his Frankston South neighbourhood, but since lockdown has made a point of avoiding busy areas or has exercised at quieter times of the day.
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"I think for mental health, being able to run or exercise is important," he said. "The [mask] exemption in that regard is necessary, as running is a struggle with a mask."
Even before the mask mandate, Mr Thorne copped criticism for exercising during the coronavirus pandemic.
"I was verbally abused a little while back from a bloke in a car. He pulled over and just had a go, as I was spreading my sweat and being out and about!"
Since lockdown, jogger Daniel Thorne has made a point of avoiding busy areas.Credit:Simon Schluter
Recreational running group Running in the Burbs' spokesman Frank Di Pierro said face masks would be impractical during extensive exercise, but the club had advised its 170 members to carry a mask with them and wear it before and after exercise, in line with the government guidelines.
Mr Di Pierro said group runners normally covered long distances on trails but had been forced onto shared paths, given government directions to stay in their own neighbourhoods.
Comment has been sought from the government.
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2020-07-22 09:40:00Z
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