Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : November 4, 2020 8:44 AM IST
डब्ल्यूएचओ की चेतावनी, कोरोना के घटते मामलों वाले देश भी रहें 'सतर्क'
There is a fear that COVID-19 cases may go up significantly in winter months, as the cold weather is likely to favour the spread of the novel coronavirus. Recently, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also hinted that India may witness an increase in the coronavirus transmission rate during winter. Some experts have also suggested that COVID-19 may behave like other respiratory illnesses that tend to thrive during cooler weather conditions. Does weather really influence COVID-19 infection?
Hot or cold -- weather alone has no significant effect on COVID-19 spread, reveals a study by an Indian-origin scientist.
Weather may influence the environment in which the virus must survive before infecting a new host as well as human behaviour, especially mobility which promote spread of the virus.
But the new study found that temperature and humidity do not play a significant role in coronavirus spread. That means person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 depends almost entirely on human behaviour, regardless of whether it's hot or cold outside.
The results were published in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
"The effect of weather is low and other features such as mobility have more impact than the weather. In terms of relative importance, the weather is one of the last parameters," IANS quoted study author Dev Niyogi from the University of Texas at Austin in the US, as saying.
The authors advised that we should stop thinking of the problem as something driven by weather and instead take personal precautions.
Understanding how coronavirus spreads can help you take the right steps to avoid getting sick and infecting others. The novel coronavirus virus that causes COVID-19 spreads from person to person in several ways:
Droplets or tiny particles called aerosols carrying the virus may be released into the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Anyone who is within 6 feet of that person can breathe in the contaminated air and thus get the infection.
Studies have also shown that the COVID-19 virus can survive in the air for up to 3 hours. This means the virus can get into your lungs if you breathe that air in. However, there is lack of clarity on how often how much airborne transmission contributes to the pandemic.
It has been found that the novel coronavirus can live on surfaces like plastic and stainless steel for 2 to 3 days. You can catch the virus when you touch surfaces, such as a countertop or doorknob, which an infected person has coughed or sneezed on and then touch your nose, mouth, or eyes. Therefore, it is important to regularly clean and disinfect all counters, knobs, and other surfaces you're likely to touch several times a day.
Researchers have also found virus particles in infected people's poop. However, there is no clear evidence to suggest that the infection can spread through contact with an infected person's stool. Still, experts do not completely rule out faecal-oral infection route. If infected persons do not wash their hands properly after using the bathroom, they could infect things and people that they touch.
Both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients can spread the virus. One can also pass the virus on to others before any signs of infection is identified. In medical term, this is called presymptomatic spread.
