Sunday, 16 May 2021 04:43 PM MYTMAY 16 — The scientific evidence accumulated for more than a year of the Covid-19 pandemic now more conclusively points towards the predominant long-range airborne nature of its transmission . To date, this important feature of the infection spread received only cursory attention from authorities and policymakers worldwide and more so by the general public.
Fourth, it is well established that the risk of Covid-19 transmission is significantly lower outdoors than indoors and in well-ventilated versus poorly ventilated indoor settings consistent with its airborne transmission. Eight, another scientific experiment supporting airborne mode of SARS-CoV-2 transmission has been conducted in the Netherlands. Jasmin Kutter and her colleagues have demonstrated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to two of four indirect recipient ferrets and SARS-CoV to all four while eliminating the possibility of direct transmission between animals' enclosures.
The other two articles in BMJ and JAMA journals echo the proposition about SARS-CoV-2 likely having a predominant airborne transmission route. They also discuss the implications of this scientific finding for the effective non-pharmaceutical intervention. As an immediate urgent solution increasing the humidity level in public spaces would significantly reduce travel distance of droplet nuclei laden with the virus. Additionally, IoT devices measuring CO2 concentration can be placed strategically to alert about presence of areas with dangerous levels and thus calling for sanitation. In public spaces, it is also possible to think of gaseous disinfectant released periodically throughout the day.