New information shows that simply talking may be enough to help spread the coronavirus.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, says just loud talking could easily spread COVID-19. Researchers used laser trackers to find that one minute of talking produced over 1,000 virus-containing particles that survived in the air for over eight minutes.

Catholic Health Services' Dr. Patrick O'Shaugnessy has examined the study, adding that is shows that social distancing and wearing a mask is still very important, even when having a conversation in close proximity.

"I think its an important publication in the sense that it shows what we know already," says O'Shaughnessy. "Look, if you are out in public and you are in a closed environment, say food shopping where you are less than 6 feet away from people, wear a mask."

But O'Shaughnessy notes that the study was done in a controlled lab environment, and not in the real world where random environmental factors are present.

"It's stagnant air, it's not necessarily real life where you could be out and there are things like wind and breeze and air conditioning vents and other things that move air around," says O'Shaughnessy.