The World Health Organization says the virus that causes COVID-19 doesn’t seem to linger in the air or be capable of spreading through the air over distances of more than about 3 feet. But at least one expert in virus transmission said it’s way too soon to know that.
«I think the WHO is being irresponsible in giving out that information. This misinformation is dangerous», says Dr. Donald Milton, an infectious disease aerobiologist at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health.
The WHO says that «according to current evidence», the virus is transmitted through «respiratory droplets and contact routes». By that, the agency means the virus is found in the kind of big droplets of mucus or saliva created through coughing and sneezing.
These droplets can travel only short distances through the air and either land on people or land on surfaces that people later touch.
Stopping this kind of transmission is why public health officials urge people to wash hands frequently and not touch the face, because that could bring the virus into contact with the nose or mouth.
What do you know about the novel Coronavirus that is causing a health emergency?
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.
Watch this short video to find out more.
How to protect yourself against COVID-19
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus introduced to humans for the first time.
It is spread from person to person mainly through the droplets produced when an infected person speaks coughs or sneezes.
Watch this short animation to learn more about COVID-19 and how to protect yourself against it.
