# WHO confirms there's 'emerging evidence' of airborne transmission of coronavirus



## Becky1951 (Jul 8, 2020)

WHO confirms there's 'emerging evidence' of airborne transmission of coronavirus

(CNN)The World Health Organization confirmed there is "emerging evidence" of airborne transmission of the coronavirus following the publication of a letter Monday signed by 239 scientists that urged the agency to be more forthcoming about the likelihood that people can catch the virus from droplets floating in the air.

Dr. Benedetta Alleganzi, WHO Technical Lead for Infection Prevention and Control, said during a briefing Tuesday, that the agency has discussed and collaborated with many of the scientists who signed the letter.
"We acknowledge that there is emerging evidence in this field, as in all other fields regarding the Covid-19 virus and pandemic and therefore we believe that we have to be open to this evidence and understand its implications regarding the modes of transmission and also regarding the precautions that need to be taken," Alleganzi said.

Infectious disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkove, with WHO's Health Emergencies Program, said many of the letter's signatories are engineers, "which adds to growing knowledge about the importance of ventilation, which we feel is very important."
"We have been talking about the possibility of airborne transmission and aerosol transmission as one of the modes of transmission of Covid-19, as well as droplet. We've looked at fomites. We've looked at fecal oral. We've looked at mother to child. We've looked at animal to human, of course as well," Van Kerkove said.

She said the agency is working on a scientific brief summarizing the current knowledge around transmission of the deadly virus, which should be available in the coming weeks.
Alleganzi emphasized more research is still needed on Covid-19 transmission.
"So, these are fields of research that are really growing and for which there is some evidence emerging but is not definitive," she said.
"And therefore, the possibility of airborne transmission in public settings, especially in very specific conditions crowded, closed, poorly ventilated settings that have been described cannot be ruled out. However, the evidence needs to be gathered and interpreted."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/health/airborne-transmission-of-coronavirus-who/index.html


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## MarciKS (Jul 8, 2020)

This is new??


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## RadishRose (Jul 8, 2020)

They said that back in the beginning I thought.


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## MarciKS (Jul 8, 2020)

I've just been treating it as such all along.


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## Becky1951 (Jul 8, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> This is new??


"Whatever"?             It was dated in today's news. I'll certainly refrain from posting information I feel might be important. Or you can just put me on ignore. Have a nice day.


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## StarSong (Jul 8, 2020)

Becky1951 said:


> "Whatever"? It was dated in today's news. I'll certainly refrain from posting information I feel might be important. Or you can just put me on ignore. Have a nice day.


You're correct, Becky.  The WHO has been dodging the issue of aerosolized micro droplets of virus hanging in the air for up to three hours, but there's been a recent strong push for them to acknowledge this form of transmission by virologists, MDs and epidemiologists.

The WHO long ago recognized that larger droplets in the air would be infectious.

Thanks for the update and link @Becky1951.


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## Geezerette (Jul 8, 2020)

Thanks for sharing, Becky! Just put the trolls on ignore.


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## MarciKS (Jul 8, 2020)

Becky1951 said:


> "Whatever"?             It was dated in today's news. I'll certainly refrain from posting information I feel might be important. Or you can just put me on ignore. Have a nice day.


I was just asking. You don't gotta get snippy.


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## MarciKS (Jul 8, 2020)

You know sometimes some of you are just unnecessarily rude. It was just a simple question. Just because I ask a question doesn't mean you need to assume I want you on ignore or that you need to start name calling. Try to be a little more polite please.


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## fancicoffee13 (Jul 8, 2020)

Becky1951 said:


> "Whatever"?             It was dated in today's news. I'll certainly refrain from posting information I feel might be important. Or you can just put me on ignore. Have a nice day.


Thank you Becky for posting that and any other information you want to share.  I like to stay informed.


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## StarSong (Jul 8, 2020)

I must have missed something.  Who said, "Whatever."?

In any event, this virus has us all a little tense. All info is welcome. The WHO has been slow to formally recognize micro droplet transmission, but the CDC acknowledged it quite some time ago.


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## Keesha (Jul 8, 2020)

Trolls! Yeah. Like THAT’s not rude. 
People are allowed to ask questions. People are allowed to disagree. We don’t all have to be like the Stepford Wives here. Geez!


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## Barbiegirl (Jul 8, 2020)

Becky1951 said:


> "Whatever"?             It was dated in today's news. I'll certainly refrain from posting information I feel might be important. Or you can just put me on ignore. Have a nice day.



Pmfji, but I believe the "whatever" is part of her sig line, not a specific reply to your post. 

Thank you for posting the updated info and any other you come across!


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## Keesha (Jul 8, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> You know sometimes some of you are just unnecessarily rude. It was just a simple question. Just because I ask a question doesn't mean you need to assume I want you on ignore or that you need to start name calling. Try to be a little more polite please.



That’s right.


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## fancicoffee13 (Jul 8, 2020)

Yes, Keesha, we are allowed to ask questions and sometimes get corrected by others.  Overlook and let it go.  Keep on keeping on.


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## Becky1951 (Jul 8, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> I was just asking. You don't gotta get snippy.


I apologize MarcieKS, I didn't take it as a question but rather a snippy reply as in, its old news your posting we already know this.


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## StarSong (Jul 8, 2020)

One of the problems with cyber-conversations is that tone is lost in the communication.


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## Don M. (Jul 8, 2020)

Becky1951 said:


> WHO confirms there's 'emerging evidence' of airborne transmission of coronavirus
> 
> Even more reason why wearing a mask while in public is important.  Personally, until this virus is brought under control, I think masks should be Mandatory..nationwide.


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## StarSong (Jul 8, 2020)

Don M. said:


> Even more reason why wearing a mask while in public is important.  Personally, until this virus is brought under control, I think masks should be Mandatory..nationwide.


I truly don't understand why all governors, mayors and local officials haven't done exactly as your suggest, given the absence of a federal mandate.


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## win231 (Jul 8, 2020)

Becky1951 said:


> "Whatever"?             It was dated in today's news. I'll certainly refrain from posting information I feel might be important. Or you can just put me on ignore. Have a nice day.


LOL.  Another example of "Slay The Messenger."


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## Keesha (Jul 8, 2020)

fancicoffee13 said:


> Overlook and let it go.  Keep on keeping on.


I did and I am.


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## 911 (Jul 8, 2020)

For quite awhile, the WHO did not agree that the virus could be transmitted via being airborne. Scientists have determined that there are 2 types of COVID particles; droplets and aerosol. The problem that seems to be causing the concerning issue is how long will a dose of the virus that was put there by aerosol last?

One example that I read was that if someone with the virus sneezes and the droplets, which are now an aerosol land on another person and then carried into a different room of different people, will the virus still be active? Can you imagine that if a person with the virus sneezes in a room of people and his aerosol droplets land on say 5 people and they carry it about, how many people could that person infect?

To me, it’s not worth worrying over. All of a sudden, it seems as though it’s really becoming impossible to avoid the disease. Do you think?


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## win231 (Jul 8, 2020)

911 said:


> For quite awhile, the WHO did not agree that the virus could be transmitted via being airborne. Scientists have determined that there are 2 types of COVID particles; droplets and aerosol. The problem that seems to be causing the concerning issue is how long will a dose of the virus that was put there by aerosol last?
> 
> One example that I read was that if someone with the virus sneezes and the droplets, which are now an aerosol land on another person and then carried into a different room of different people, will the virus still be active? Can you imagine that if a person with the virus sneezes in a room of people and his aerosol droplets land on say 5 people and they carry it about, how many people could that person infect?
> 
> To me, it’s not worth worrying over. All of a sudden, it seems as though it’s really becoming impossible to avoid the disease. Do you think?


I'm reminded of a great "Twilight Zone" episode.  A couple of martians from another planet caused some chaos in a town by making people's cars start, turning the power on & off, etc.  In a short time, neighbors started to turn on each other, blaming everything they couldn't explain on other people:
Wait for the end at 4.25.  It's really worth it.


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## 911 (Jul 8, 2020)

I liked the episode where everyone was on another planet and this gorgeous blonde complained about being really ugly. (They never showed anyone’s faces on the show until the end.) At the end, everyone had a pig face, but she was still gorgeous, even after an operation to turn her into looking like the others had failed. The doctor (also had a pig face) took it pretty hard that the surgery was a failure.


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## 911 (Jul 8, 2020)

I like what a doctor on TV said, “We should all learn to live with the disease.”


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## win231 (Jul 8, 2020)

911 said:


> I liked the episode where everyone was on another planet and this gorgeous blonde complained about being really ugly. (They never showed anyone’s faces on the show until the end.) At the end, everyone had a pig face, but she was still gorgeous, even after an operation to turn her into looking like the others had failed. The doctor (also had a pig face) took it pretty hard that the surgery was a failure.


"Eye of the Beholder."  One of the best!


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## fmdog44 (Jul 8, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> This is new??


Yes, read what I cut from the attachment:  _"We have been talking about the possibility of airborne transmission and aerosol transmission as one of the modes of transmission of Covid-19, as well as droplet." _ From that I see three different modes of transportation, airborne, aerosol and droplets. I saw this as it was new and ordered googles as I posted on this subject elsewhere. What she (the doctor) is saying as I interpret it is it may be floating around  nearly as a gas. I added that to the theory that some are getting in from eye contact so I ordered goggles in case it proves out as true. To me, after all the masks and sanitizers why is it now soaring? Are we doing some thing wrong or is this thing damn near invisible?


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## Kayelle (Jul 8, 2020)

The actual bottom line that unless the *Federal Administration,* mandates wearing face masks as a *FEDERAL LAW *there will be the nose thumbers
who will follow "their leader" and flip off the rest of us.  Not wearing a seat belt is against the law in the USA, as is smoking in a public place, and we all abide by those laws that restrict some personal freedoms.  Just what is the problem here?  It's very clear.


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## IrisSenior (Jul 9, 2020)

Face masks for all stores and public places and social distancing. Until EVERYONE practices this, the virus will continue to infect. JMHO


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## mlh (Jul 9, 2020)

StarSong said:


> I truly don't understand why all governors, mayors and local officials haven't done exactly as your suggest, given the absence of a federal mandate.



they have finally mandated masks in my area of the midwest. i would assume that at some point all states will follow suit. eventually they will have little choice.


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## StarSong (Jul 9, 2020)

911 said:


> I like what a doctor on TV said, “We should all learn to live with the disease.”


I don't even know what that means.  "Live with the disease."  How, exactly?  

Open everything up and hope to not get seriously or mortally ill?  Hospitals and medical personnel will just have to buck up and cope.  Or not.  Bummer about those N95s and other PPE shortages, folks.  But thanks, docs, nurses and other medical care workers for being our "heroes."      

Reopen schools full-time, serving all students regardless of a campus's ability to socially distance them? With or without masking kids and adults? Time to roll the dice that all will work out, right? Too bad, so sad for the families whose dice come up snake eyes because, you know, the economy really needs the de facto daycare provided by schools.  Teachers and admins, thanks for being our "heroes."  

Hey you folks who work work at the slaughtering/processing plants... Get back to work despite the extraordinary high risk because, you know, other people NEED to consume bacon, chicken parts, and other animals products on a daily basis.  You on the lines, thanks for being our "heroes."  

How does one learn to live with this disease?


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## Liberty (Jul 9, 2020)

I do believe in masks.  They are finally mandated here in Texas.  The question is...keeping restaurants open even partially.  How exactly does one wear a mask into a restaurant and eat without taking it off.  Did some of you see the China restaurant flow chart of how one asymptomatic person infected all those others? 

 A scientist said yesterday that they have just proven the most infectious time is when a person is asymptomatic and just on the near brink of showing symptoms.  So much for taking people's temperature to prove its "ok" for them to go into a meeting or  fly.  Here's the link to the flow chart in case you didn't see it:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-restaurant-air-conditioning-gave-nine-people-covid-china-2020-4


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## 911 (Jul 9, 2020)

StarSong said:


> I don't even know what that means.  "Live with the disease."  How, exactly?
> 
> Open everything up and hope to not get seriously or mortally ill?  Hospitals and medical personnel will just have to buck up and cope.  Or not.  Bummer about those N95s and other PPE shortages, folks.  But thanks, docs, nurses and other medical care workers for being our "heroes."
> 
> ...


What he was talking about was because until we get a vaccine, it's here to stay. It's like having a guest in your house that came to visit for a week and 3 months later, they are still there. The specialists thought that the warmer weather would reduce the effectiveness of the virus, which has shown not to be true. Some of the other countries seem to be doing better than the U.S. Kids are even back in school. We have done a lot of testing and still can't seem to get a handle on it.


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## 911 (Jul 9, 2020)

win231 said:


> "Eye of the Beholder."  One of the best!







My other favorite episode was about the guy going to Willoughby.


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## Kayelle (Jul 9, 2020)

I really like this front window warning....


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## Sunny (Jul 9, 2020)

> I like what a doctor on TV said, “We should all learn to live with the disease.”



Not me.  I'd rather learn to live _without _the disease.


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## Kayelle (Jul 10, 2020)

I personally really like the quote *"Don't mistake inconvenience for oppression" *

When I see anyone wearing a *hot uncomfortable mask *in public I conclude they are most likely *not a selfish self centered jerk. *


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