Advertisement

Updated April 16th, 2021 at 17:56 IST

'Strong evidence' COVID-19 predominantly spreads through air: Lancet Study

Heneghan and colleagues' systematic review, funded by WHO, also found key control measures to curb the COVID-19 illness after detecting mode of transmission.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
COVID-19
(Image Credit: Unsplash) | Image:self
Advertisement

The novel coronavirus that has causes COVID-19 disease is airborne, and is predominantly transmitted through the air, a new study published in The Lancet journal on April 15 stated. The principal mode by which the SARS-CoV-2 infection is caused is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying an infectious virus that circulate in the air. At least six health experts, that authored the Heneghan and colleagues' systematic review, funded by WHO, found that the key control measures to curb the COVID-19 illness are reducing direct contact, cleaning surfaces, physical barriers, physical distancing, use of masks within droplet distance, respiratory hygiene, and wearing high-grade protection (face masks). 

 “The lack of recoverable viral culture samples of SARS-CoV-2 prevents firm conclusions to be drawn about airborne transmission. This conclusion, and the wide circulation of the review's findings, is concerning because of the public health implications,” the researchers in the study explained. They further added that the airborne transmission of the covid-19 was both in the indoors and outdoors settings. An individual could potentially be infected when they inhale aerosols produced when an infected person exhales, speaks, shouts, sings, sneezes, or coughs. “Reducing the airborne transmission of the virus requires measures to avoid inhalation of infectious aerosols, including ventilation, air filtration, reducing crowding and time spent indoors, use of masks whenever indoors, attention to mask quality and fit, and higher-grade protection for health-care staff and front-line workers,” the researchers advised in the paper. 

“SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in the air in laboratory experiments, and stayed infectious in the air for up to 3 h with a half-life of 1·1 h,” the Lancet study revealed. “Viable SARS-CoV-2 was identified in air samples from rooms occupied by COVID-19 patients, and air samples from an infected person's car.” 

Coronavirus aerosol particles spread 'while speaking'

Pandemic has recorded some super-spreading events that involved long-range transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between people in adjacent rooms such as in quarantine hotels. room sizes, ventilation, and other variables in choir concerts, cruise ships, slaughterhouses, care homes, and correctional facilities, among other settings, have both long-range and short-range patterns of airborne transmission. This is due to the dominance of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2, scientists explained. long-range transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between people in adjacent rooms but never in each other's presence was also documented that could be attributed to health safety protocol adherence such as the use of masks.

Moreover, the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from people who are not coughing or sneezing is likely to account for at least a third, and perhaps up to 59 percent of all transmission. This could be because “speaking” produces thousands of aerosol particles, and not large droplets, proving that coronavirus predominantly follows an airborne route of transmission.

Advertisement

Published April 16th, 2021 at 17:56 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Beans
a few seconds ago
Supriya Shrinate clarification
5 minutes ago
vk saxena
9 minutes ago
Shahjahan Sheikh in CBI Custody: First Visual Emerges | WATCH
9 minutes ago
Pakistan Supreme Court
11 minutes ago
AR Rahman, Ram Charan
12 minutes ago
File Photo of PM Narendra Modi
15 minutes ago
Elon Musk X lawsuit
15 minutes ago
Five Animals With Amazing Camouflaging Abilities
20 minutes ago
Hardik Pandya
21 minutes ago
India Registers stern objection to US remarks on Kejriwal
22 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo