The main mode of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains close contact with an infected person and through the nose, mouth or eyes, according to health experts. Close contact means is to a distance of less than 2 metres or 6 to 7 feet.
Coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 is release into air in droplets of various sizes by an infected person while breathing, coughing, sneezing or speaking.
Experts advise people to maintain social distance of more than 2 metres and to wear a mask or face cover to minimise the chance of caching the virus.
Scientists have found that most droplets are pull down by the earth’s gravity by the time they travel a distance of 2 metres.
Droplets fall on surfaces and remain infectious for up to three-four hours.
These infectious surfaces are call fomites.
That is why hand sanitisation or washing is advise and people have a habit of touching their face including mouth, nose and eyes frequently.
How far can SARS-COV-2 Travel?
There are thousands of micro-droplets call aerosols that come out of the mouth or nose of an infected person.
These aerosolised SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses can travel longer distances which is more than 2 metres.
This is referr to as airborne transmission of Covid-19.
Airborne transmission was not taken very seriously as health experts such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) asserted that there was not concrete evidence to support this mode of Covid-19 spread.
That is why some independent health experts were in favour of recognising the threat of airborne transmission since July 2020.
Researchers found that aerosols could travel up to 18 feet or 5.5 metres in just five seconds with little breeze. (SOURCE LINK)
Where SARS-COV-2 Could Airborne?
Aerosolised SARS-CoV-2 can travel farther than the 2 metre or 6 foot limit.
As they say the virus can travel in the air from one room to another room riding on air currents.
WHO recently updated its science brief on the mode of transmission acknowledging that aerosols can travel more than 2 metres in poorly ventilated spaces.
These spaces can be seminar halls, conference rooms, hospital wards and even residential flats.
And this does not mean that air is filled with SARS-CoV-2.
Researchers say that outdoor areas are safer than indoor environments as fresh air disperses aerosols and weakens viruses as a matter of rule. (SOURCE LINK)
Why Outdoors Areas are Safe?
Water present in virus-filled aerosols evaporates in fresh air and also under the sun.
The sun’s ultraviolet rays destroy the virus particles.
So it would be wrong to presume that Covid-19 infection cannot happen outdoors.
How to Prevent Airborne Transmission?
American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that :
“social distancing, use of masks in the community, hand hygiene, and surface cleaning and disinfection, ventilation and avoidance of crowded indoor spaces”
These all can help prevent coronavirus infection through airborne transmission.
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