'Coronavirus Is Airborne': Over 200 Scientists Write To WHO, Urge Change In Recommendation

In an open letter to the World Health Organization (WHO), 239 scientists from 32 countries called for the agency to revise its recommendations while outlining evidence showing that the novel coronavirus in smaller particles in air can infect people, the New York Times reported.

The WHO has been saying that the coronavirus or Covid-19 is spread primarily by large respiratory droplets that when expelled by infected people through coughs and sneezes, fall on surface. Thus, the WHO has been recommending hand washing as a primary prevention strategy as our hands may come in contact with such surfaces.

In its latest update on June 29, the WHO said the transmission of the virus through air is possible only during medical procedures that produce aerosols, or droplets smaller than 5 microns. Such procedures include tracheal intubation, non-invasive ventilation, and tracheotomy among others and only healthcare workers are exposed to such risk, according to the WHO.

Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO’s technical lead on infection control, told the NYT, “Especially in the last couple of months, we have been stating several times that we consider airborne transmission as possible but certainly not supported by solid or even clear evidence,” she said. She added that there was a strong debate on this.

Whether it is through large droplets that fly through the air after a sneeze, or much smaller exhaled droplets that may glide the length of a room, the experts say Covid-19 is borne through air and can infect people when inhaled.

But the infection prevention and control committee in particular, experts said, has a rigid and medicalised view of scientific evidence and it is slow and risk-averse in updating its guidance, according to the NYT report.

“I do get frustrated about the issues of airflow and sizing of particles, absolutely,” said Mary-Louise McLaws, committee member and epidemiologist at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

“If we started revisiting airflow, we would have to be prepared to change a lot of what we do,” she said underlining the fact that if the virus is proved to be airborne, circulation of air in closed spaces such as office and malls will become risky. In that case, N95 masks would be needed by not just medical professionals, but everyone, and stricter social distancing norms would have to be followed across the world.