Scientists have shown that airborne particles could spread the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), at least in certain settings.
Sneezing is one way the virus is passed on.Airborne particles are not the same as respiratory droplets. They are much smaller and linger in the air. Scientists say they can travel long distances and can be breathed into the lungs.
Respiratory droplets tend to be far bigger, but travel shorter distances before falling to the ground.
There’s likely low risk of infection via aerosols for the average person. But they can stay suspended in the air for several hours and are a major reason medical workers are at high risk.
Once in the air, the particles can be dispersed by air currents from ventilation or fans, which help them move beyond their immediate space. Other activities, such as walking and door opening, can also further facilitate particle travel.
Respiratory droplets land quickly after being dispelled from an infected person.
CONTACT
Is airborne transmission the most likely method of getting COVID-19? No. If so, there would be higher numbers of infected. COVID-19 appears to spread to roughly two to 2.5 people for every one person who is infected.
The most common mode of transmission is still theorized to be through coming in contact with respiratory droplets. The transmission of respiratory droplets can occur when they are either coughed into the hands or onto a high-touch surface, and then transferred by the hand to the nose or mouth of the recipient.
Coronaviruses can live a few days on hard surfaces, and do well on skin. They do less well on porous surfaces like cardboard or fabric.
As an aerosol gas, suspended in air, the virus could hang around for up to three hours. On plastic and stainless steel, the virus was viable for up to three days, experts said. The virus seemed to disintegrate a little faster on stainless steel than on plastic.
Researchers found that the virus sticks around for much less time on copper ― about four hours. Paper, it was suggested, is also probably less likely to host the virus.
People can contract COVID-19 just about anywhere. This is why officials urge people to stay home.
Whether a given surface is infected depends on who walked by and coughed or sneezed. Persons coughing or sneezing may not know they’re passing around the virus.
