The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday said that it did not change its policy on the aerosol transmission of the coronavirus, hours after the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) abruptly removed guidelines on the airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus.
Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s emergency programme, informed media that he would discuss the removal of the guidelines with the CDC .
The removed guidelines had confirmed the virus can be transmitted through aerosols, acknowledging that the virus could remain suspended in air, causing proliferation, according to earlier reports. It had also suggested preventive measures to be taken to destroy the virus in the air. This includes using air purifiers in closed spaces and maintaining six feet distance, among others.
Ryan said: “Certainly, we haven’t seen any new evidence and our position on this remains the same.” Ryan also maintained that the WHO still believes the virus primarily spreads through droplets, but that in crowded closed spaces with inadequate ventilation, aerosol transmission can occur. “We still, based on the evidence, believe that there is a wide range of transmission modes,” he said.