Ten scientific reasons have been studied which shows the airborne transmission of SAR-CoV-2, says an article published in The Lancet.
Heneghan And Colleagues
Heneghan and colleagues’ systematic review, funded by WHO,states, “The lack of recoverable viral culture samples of SARS-CoV-2 prevents firm conclusions to be drawn about airborne transmission.”
Control measures to prevent virus spread
If an infectious virus spreads predominantly through large respiratory droplets that fall quickly, the key control measures are
- reducing direct contact
- cleaning surfaces
- physical barriers
- physical distancing
- use of masks within droplet distance
- respiratory hygiene
- wearing high-grade protection
Ten reasons in support of airborne transmission of SAR-CoV-2
- First, superspreading events account for substantial SARS-CoV-2 transmission; indeed, such events may be the pandemic’s primary drivers. Detailed analyses of human behaviours and interactions, room sizes, ventilation, and other variables in choir concerts, cruise ships, slaughterhouses, care homes, and correctional facilities, among other settings, have shown patterns.
- Second, long-range transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between people in adjacent rooms but never in each other’s presence has been documented in quarantine hotels.
- Third, asymptomatic or presymptomatic 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%, of all transmission globally and is a key way SARS-CoV-2 has spread around the world.
- Fourth, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is higher indoors than outdoors and is substantially reduced by indoor ventilation, Both observations support a predominantly airborne route of transmission.
- Fifth, nosocomial infections have been documented in health-care organisations, where there have been strict contact-and-droplet precautions and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to protect against droplet but not aerosol exposure.
- Sixth, viable SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in the air. In laboratory experiments, SARS-CoV-2 stayed infectious in the air for up to 3 h with a half-life of 1·1 h.
- Seventh, SARS-CoV-2 has been identified in air filters and building ducts in hospitals with COVID-19 patients; such locations could be reached only by aerosols.
- Eighth, studies involving infected caged animals that were connected to separately caged uninfected animals via an air duct have shown transmission of SARS-CoV-2 that can be adequately explained only by aerosols.
- Ninth, no study to our knowledge has provided strong or consistent evidence to refute the hypothesis of airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
- Tenth, there is limited evidence to support other dominant routes of transmission ie, respiratory droplet or fomite. Ease of infection between people in close proximity to each other has been cited as proof of respiratory droplet transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
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Source: The Lancet
