ABOVE: © ISTOCK.COM, CHRISTOPH BURGSTEDT
In an open letter published today (July 6), 239 scientists from 32 countries urge the World Health Organization and other bodies to address the potential for airborne transmission of the coronavirus. The authors write that a growing body of evidence suggests “beyond any reasonable doubt” that the virus spreads indoors through tiny aerosols—a finding that should be reflected in the WHO’s recommendations.
The perceived distinction between respiratory droplets and aerosols dates back to experiments carried out in the 1930s. WF Wells, a sanitary scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health, suggested that coughs and sneezes produce two types of droplets: large droplets that fall quickly to the floor under their own weight, and smaller aerosolized droplets capable of circulating in the air for long periods of time.
As The New York Times notes, if airborne transmission is a significant factor in the COVID-19 pandemic, ...
