Experts say COVID’s airborne transmission may deserve more attention
239 scientists signed their name to a letter calling for governments—including international bodies like the World Health Organization—to acknowledge and plan for COVID-19’s airborne spread. (Unsplash/)Virologists and other scientific experts still know relatively little about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But the ever-growing body of evidence about how the virus is transmitted suggests that tiny airborne particles, commonly known as aerosols, play a big role in spreading the microbe around. Researchers who study this area are concerned that the role of these aerosols is being downplayed in public health communication. This affects the recommendations public health officials are giving out in regards to how individuals and larger systems should be changing their behaviors as the pandemic continues to spread. The message that people need to stay at least six feet apart has become entrenched in public health guidance. But that’s not enough, says Shelly Miller, a professor of mechanical engineering...