WHO admits airborne spread of COVID-19 after evidence emerges

Geneva, July 08: The World Health Organisation (WHO) is reviewing its guidelines on the COVID-19 as it has finally acknowledged that there is emerging evidence that the COVID-19 can be spread by air after 239 global scientists wrote an open letter to it. They outlined the evidence that showed floating virus particles can infect people who breathe them in.

  

 

 

Earlier, WHO had claimed that COVID-19 is not airborne and it does not float in the air. However, a group of scientists challenged that statement saying when an infected person breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they expel droplets of various sizes. Those above five to ten micrometers - which is less than the width of a typical human head hair - fall to the ground in seconds and within a meter or two.

 

 

 

According to the scientist's droplets under this size can become suspended in the air in what is called an "aerosol," remaining aloft for several hours and traveling up to tens of meters. "Handwashing and social distancing are appropriate, but in our view, insufficient to protect virus-carrying respiratory microdroplets released into the air by infected people."

 

The airborne cand depends on how much longer the virus can survive in the air. The study suggests coronavirus can survive for up to three hours. According to the emerging evidence, airborne transmission of coronavirus is a much higher possibility when in closed spaces and under cool temperatures, which would make sense if clusters in meat processing plants, churches are to be explained.

 

 

Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO's technical lead on infection control, told a virtual press conference: "We acknowledge that there is emerging evidence in this field." Meanwhile, other WHO officials stated that they would put out a new scientific brief within days, they will be rounding up the knowledge about how the virus can be transmitted and ensuring its guidance stays in line with the evidence.

 

“We have been talking about the possibility of airborne transmission and aerosol transmission as one of the modes of transmission of Covid-19,” Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead on the pandemic. Kerkhove further said the WHO will soon publish a scientific paper on the state of knowledge on modes of transmission of the virus.