Experts say it's time to recognize that airborne transmission beyond six feet is possible -- while continuing to emphasize that close contact within six feet is still the main way the virus is transmitted.
When the CDC briefly published its update regarding airborne transmission, experts initially expressed their support of this development.
"Although there was more data in the last three months pointing out that this airborne transmission is important, we have known that all these SARS type of viruses are indeed transmitted via airborne, going back to MERS and SARS Co-1,” says Dr. Rajat Mittal, professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and an expert in computational fluid dynamics at Johns Hopkins University.
"There’s been a lot of discussion about more distant transmission than six feet, and the question has always been, how important is that?" said Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Health Policy, Nashville, Tennessee. This idea that the virus can be passed at distances of greater than six feet is anything but new. As far back as in March, up to 87% of attendees at a
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
CDC says coronavirus airborne—Here's how the guidelines on transmission have changedThe disease control agency updated its website amid a debate among scientists on how the coronavirus spreads.
Read more »
Spirit Airlines reiterates mask policy, CDC standards after passenger refuses to swap gaiterSpirit Airlines reiterated its policy for wearing only masks approved by the CDC after a video was posted of a guest refusing to wear anything other than his own neck gaiter, which does not meet CDC standards.
Read more »
Trump disputes CDC head's vaccine timeline and mask claimsCDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield testified that mask-wearing may be a more effective protection against coronavirus than a vaccine, adding that the American public has not yet embraced the use of masks to a level that could effectively control the outbreak
Read more »
Updated CDC guidance acknowledges coronavirus can spread through the airThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated guidance on its website to say coronavirus can commonly spread 'through respiratory droplets or small particles, such as those in aerosols,' which are produced even when a person breathes.
Read more »
U.S. CDC reports 198,754 deaths from coronavirus(Reuters - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday reported 6,748,935 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 42,561 cases from its previous count, and said the number of U.S. deaths had risen by 655 to 198,754.
Read more »
Nearly 11,000 people have been exposed to the coronavirus on flights, the CDC saysFederal officials have investigated cases of people flying while capable of spreading the virus, but confirming such transmissions is difficult.
Read more »