Switch to हिंदी

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

हिंदी
  • Health A-Z
  • Home Remedies
  • Diseases
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Cancer
    • Heart Attack
    • Pneumonia
    • Diseases A-Z
  • Diet & Fitness
    • Weight Management
    • Exercise & Body Building
    • Diet & Recipes
    • Yoga
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Pregnancy
    • Conceiving
    • Infertility
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Pregnancy week-by-week
    • Breastfeeding
    • Baby Names
  • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Grooming
  • Photos
  • Videos
BLA21 cibil.com ageas federal zee hindustan
Home / Health News / WHO finally admits COVID-19 may be airborne, plans to revise its guidelines in coming days

WHO finally admits COVID-19 may be airborne, plans to revise its guidelines in coming days

The WHO also acknowledged that there’s emerging evidence that the SARS-Cov-2 virus can be spread by tiny particles suspended in the air.

By: Longjam Dineshwori   | | Updated: July 8, 2020 3:20 pm
Tags: Coronavirus  COVID-19  
Airborne Covid-19 Spread
COVID-19 virus can spread in the air.

Claiming that coronavirus is airborne, a group of scientists recently wrote to the World Health Organization (WHO) to revised its guidelines regarding the mode of transmission of COVID-19. However, the UN health agency had been insisting that there is no strong evidence to confirm airborne transmission for the virus. The officials at the organization on Tuesday finally admitted that COVID-19 may be airborne and that spread of the virus in the air cannot be ruled out. It also acknowledged that there’s emerging evidence that the SARS-Cov-2 virus can be spread by tiny particles suspended in the air. However, WHO officials have cautioned that the evidence is preliminary and further assessment is required. Also Read - It is ‘unrealistic’ that COVID-19 pandemic would be over by 2021 end: WHO expert

Mention may be made that a group of 239 scientists from 32 countries has accused the agency of underestimating the possibility of airborne spread of coronavirus, which has already infected over 11 million people and claimed over 5 lakh lives worldwide. Till now WHO and health authorities of different countries have agreed upon the common theory that the novel coronavirus is primarily transmitted via respiratory droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Also Read - COVID-19 vaccine for variants: Pfizer, Moderna test a third ‘booster’ dose for efficacy



At Tuesday’s briefing in Geneva, the WHO’s technical lead for infection prevention and control Benedetta Allegranzi said that the possibility of airborne transmission in public settings cannot be ruled out. However, she added that evidence needs to be gathered and interpreted, and WHO will continue providing its support to it. Also Read - Co-WIN glitches leave citizens in quandary: 92 per cent unable to register for COVID-19 vaccine

What does it mean by airborne?

According to the scientists, the novel coronavirus may be carried by large as well as smaller exhaled droplets. While heavier respiratory droplets don’t reach more than 6 feet from an infected person, micro-droplets can travel up to several meters, or room length and hang in the air for several hours, they said in the open letter published July 6 in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.`

Suggesting that there’s significant potential for inhalation exposure to the virus in the microscopic respiratory droplets, the researchers are advocating for the use of preventive measures to mitigate this route of airborne transmission. This means you can catch disease simply by breathing. The disease caused by a microbe transmitted through the air is known as an airborne disease.

A preliminary study posted on the preprint database medRxiv had also claimed that the COVID-19 virus can survive in the air for hours in fine particles known as aerosols and can spread quickly like SARS. It said that the virus can remain active for up to 3 hours after aerosolization and can infect cells throughout that time period.

The WHO plans to publish a scientific brief summarising the state of knowledge on modes of transmission of the virus in the coming days, according to Maria Van Kerkhove, the agency’s technical lead on the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to prevent yourself from airborne diseases

As coronavirus could survive in the air for hours, social distancing practices may not be enough to stop infection and spread of the disease, experts said. You can’t completely avoid airborne pathogens, but you can lower your chances of getting the infection or spreading the infection by following these steps:

  • Don’t go near people who have active symptoms of the disease.
  • If you’re sick, stay home and avoid close contact with vulnerable people, like elderly people and those who have underlying health conditions.
  • Wear a face mask when you’re in public places or crowded areas to prevent spreading or inhaling germs.
  • Always cover your mouth with a tissue or your elbow when you cough or sneeze so that the germs don’t reach your hands.
  • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly (at least 20 seconds), especially after sneezing or coughing.
  • Do not touch your face with unwashed hands.

Published : July 8, 2020 2:29 pm | Updated:July 8, 2020 3:20 pm
Read Disclaimer

UN says COVID-19 points at rising trend of diseases: Know how to guard yourselves against future pandemics

UN says COVID-19 points at rising trend of diseases: Know how to guard yourselves against future pandemics

Elderly people not willing to isolate, at higher risk of COVID-19 infection

Elderly people not willing to isolate, at higher risk of COVID-19 infection

Please Wait. Article Loading ....

Coronavirus Updates

Coronavirus Updates

Stay Informed, Be Safe

  • It is ‘unrealistic’ that COVID-19 pandemic would be over by 2021 end: WHO expert
  • Co-WIN glitches leave citizens in quandary: 92 per cent unable to register for COVID-19 vaccine
  • COVID-19 vaccine for variants: Pfizer, Moderna test a third ‘booster’ dose for efficacy
  • ASCOT expands into India to find the most effective treatment for COVID-19
  • Bihar to get free COVID-19 vaccination, even at private hospitals: CM Nitish Kumar

Health Calculators

BMI Calculator
bmi Calculator
Ideal Body Weight
ideal body weight
Daily Calorie Intake
Daily calorie intake
Calories Burned
calories burned

Related Stories

It is ‘unrealistic’ that COVID-19 pandemic would be over by 2021 end: WHO expert

It is ‘unrealistic’ that COVID-19 pandemic would be over by 2021 end: WHO expert

COVID-19 vaccine for variants: Pfizer, Moderna test a third ‘booster’ dose for efficacy

COVID-19 vaccine for variants: Pfizer, Moderna test a third ‘booster’ dose for efficacy

Co-WIN glitches leave citizens in quandary: 92 per cent unable to register for COVID-19 vaccine

Co-WIN glitches leave citizens in quandary: 92 per cent unable to register for COVID-19 vaccine

ASCOT expands into India to find the most effective treatment for COVID-19

ASCOT expands into India to find the most effective treatment for COVID-19

Bihar to get free COVID-19 vaccination, even at private hospitals: CM Nitish Kumar

Bihar to get free COVID-19 vaccination, even at private hospitals: CM Nitish Kumar

Health News in Hindi

Shraddha Kapoor Birthday: श्रद्धा कपूर की फ्लॉलेस और ग्लोइंग स्किन का राज हैं ये सिंपल टिप्स एंड ट्रिक्स, आप भी करें ट्राई

Glaucoma (Kala Motia): 4 तरीकों से ठीक किया जा सकता है काला मोतिया, जानें इस बीमारी से बचाव के आसान उपाय

ओट्स को दूध में डालकर या फिर सब्जियां मिलाकर खाने से घटेगा वजन, पढ़ें कैसे खाने से घटेगी कमर

Covishield की 2 डोज लेने के बाद भी MBBS स्‍टूडेंट निकला कोरोना पॉजीटिव, जानिए क्‍या है पूरा मामला

शादीशुदा लोग ऐसे पता लगाएं उनका पार्टनर दे रहा है धोखा, जानें 5 चौंका देने वाले हिंट्स

Read All

Recent Posts

  • Lifestyle has a huge impact on your pregnancy: Boost fertility with these little changes
  • World Hearing Day: Nearly 700 million people will experience hearing loss by 2050, warns WHO
  • 33-year-old man with a rare cancer of the appendix and small intestine, gets second lease of life
  • It is ‘unrealistic’ that COVID-19 pandemic would be over by 2021 end: WHO expert
  • COVID-19 vaccine for variants: Pfizer, Moderna test a third ‘booster’ dose for efficacy

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com
+91 – 22 – 6697 1234
Landline Phone number 91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Useful Links

  • Weight Loss
  • Keto Diet Tips
  • Skin Care Tips
  • Intermittent Fasting
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Ashwagandha
  • Cancer
  • Pneumonia
  • Diarrhoea
  • Dengue
  • Typhoid
  • Tuberculosis
  • Chickenpox
  • Chikungunya
  • Depression
  • Hepatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Swine Flu
  • Baby Names
  • Cough and cold
  • Heart Attack
  • Breast Cancer
  • Ebola Virus
  • Dengue
  • Malaria
  • International Yoga Day
  • Hypotension
  • Heart Failure
  • Asthma
  • Brain Tumour
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • Goitre
  • HIV/AIDS

We respect your privacy

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Author Profiles

Copyright © 2021 Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved.