The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged evidence of the airborne spread of COVID-19 after a Geneva-based agency outlined evidence showing how floating virus particles can infect people who breathe them. The agency urged the WHO to update its guidelines. 

According to WHO the virus primarily spreads through small droplets expelled from an infected person’s mouth or nose. Although they acknowledged that there is emerging evidence of COVID-19 being airborne, they say the evidence is not definitive.

Airborne transmission is different from droplet transmission as it refers to the presence of microbes within droplet nuclei that can remain in the air for long periods of time and be transmitted to others over distances greater than 1m.

They are aware of other studies that are evaluating the presence of the virus in air samples. However, most are not yet published in peer-reviewed journals. According to WHO, the detection of ribonucleic acid (RNA) in environmental samples is not indicative of a viable virus that could be transmissible.

Further studies are needed to determine whether it is possible to detect the COVID-19 virus in air samples.

Based on the available evidence, WHO continues to recommend droplet and contact precautions for those people caring for COVID-19 patients. WHO continues to recommend airborne precautions for circumstances and settings in which aerosol-generating procedures and support treatment are performed.

Source: WHO

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