Why Covid-19 is an Airborne Pathogen? The Lancet Study Report Suggests

A recent report disseminated in The Lancet confirmed that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is primarily an airborne pathogen.

The official report has gone against the predominant scientific view which says that Covid-19 spreads through smaller aerosols that remain suspended in the air or through fomites.

The paper was prepared by six experts from the UK, the US, and Canada. In the paper, the expert argues that there are "insufficient grounds for concluding that a pathogen is not airborne" while "the totality of scientific evidence indicates otherwise". Read more

The experts called for urgent modification in the Covid-19 safety protocol.

What does the study mean by 'Airborne Transmission'?

In the case of the deadly virus Covid-19, an individual need not come directly in contact with 'large respiratory droplets' to get infected.

It says that an individual could get infected when "they inhale aerosols produced when an infected person exhales, speaks, shouts, sings, sneezes, or coughs."

'Coronavirus is Airborne' why?

According to the experts "Superspreading events account for substantial SARS-CoV-2 transmission; indeed, such events may be the pandemic's primary drivers,"

Detailed analyses of human behaviors and interactions, room sizes, ventilation, and other variables, the authors said, are consistent with the airborne spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the same cannot be adequately explained by droplets or fomites.

The research paper also stated that long-range transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among humans in adjacent rooms but never in each other's presence has been documented in quarantine hotels.

The authors in their paper informed that from 33 percent to 59 percent of all Coronavirus cases could be attributed to asymptomatic or presymptomatic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from those individuals who are not coughing or sneezing. Read more

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is higher indoors than outdoors

The team of experts in its fourth point argued that the transmission of the deadly virus is higher indoors than in outdoors. Transmission of the virus is considerably reduced by indoor ventilation.

In the study, they stated nosocomial infections (those that originate in a hospital) had been documented surprisingly at places where healthcare experts used personal protective equipment (PPE) which is designed to protect against droplets but not aerosol exposure. The virus has been spotted in air filters and building passages in hospitals with Covid infected patients. Those locations could be reached only by aerosols.

In their sixth point, explains that "Viable SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in the air."

In the course of laboratory experiments, the pathogen remained infectious in the air for up to three hours. Read more

The experts highlight that there is no study to their knowledge that imparted strong or consistent evidence that disproves their hypothesis.

The authors concluded their study by informing that there was limited evidence that supports other dominant routes of SARS-CoV- ie, respiratory droplet or fomite.

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