Is Coronavirus airborne? What does airborne mean?
Until a few days ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) thought that Kovid-19 infection could only be caused by touching a plane with the presence of coronavirus.
Initially, it was thought that coronavirus could be spread by sneezing or coughing up droplets.
That's why at the beginning of the epidemic, World Health Organization officials considered hand washing to be one of the first steps to protect against COVID-19.
But now, they say, there is a risk of coronavirus 'airborne infection' in special circumstances.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says airborne coronavirus infections cannot be ruled out in areas where there are large crowds, closed houses or poor ventilation.
This means that coronavirus can be transmitted through tiny particles that come out of the mouth during breathing or speaking.
And if evidence of this type of infection can be confirmed, guidelines on how to adhere to hygiene in a confined space may change.
What is airborne infection?
Airborne infections of viruses or bacteria are caused by inhalation of particles that may have been floating in the air for several hours.
These tiny droplets can be spread over a large area.
Examples of airborne diseases are tuberculosis, flu and pneumonia.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that coronaviruses can be spread through the air in confined spaces or in crowded areas.
How long does it last in the air?
Studies have shown that coronaviruses that are artificially spread in the air can survive for up to three hours.
However, the test was performed in a laboratory, and scientists believe that the situation in real life may be different than in the laboratory. So in real life the survival of the virus may vary.
The spread of coronavirus through the air is called 'superspreading'.
A woman in Mount Vermont, Washington, USA, is thought to have spread the infection among 45 people. The woman sang as part of the same choir with the infected.
Many of those infected did not break social norms.
A similar incident was reported in January in Guangzhou, China. In the incident, a person carrying the virus is believed to have infected nine people while eating at a restaurant.
According to scientists, one of the infected people was six meters away from the virus carrier.
What to do?
How a disease is transmitted is determined based on how it is transmitted.
The current guidelines of the World Health Organization for Covid-19 recommend that you wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and follow social distances.
But many scientists now say that while these actions are urgent, these measures alone are not enough to protect against airborne coronavirus infections.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet made changes to its latest guidelines, but is reviewing new data.
Confirmation of new evidence could lead to changes in the guidelines, with greater emphasis on the use of masks, stricter distances - especially in restaurants, bars and public transport.
Why is the World Health Organization thinking of changing the guidelines?
Recently, 239 scientists from 32 countries wrote an open letter to the World Health Organization, calling for an update on coronavirus guidelines on airborne infections.
"We wanted them to recognize the evidence," said Jose Jimenez, a chemist and University of Colorado teacher who signed the letter.
"It's not an attack on the World Health Organization. It's a scientific debate. We've brought it up in public because we've felt like they're not listening to us."
"The possibility of airborne transmission of the coronavirus in crowded, confined spaces cannot be ruled out," said Benedetta Allegranzi, head of technical affairs at the World Health Organization's Department of Infection Prevention and Control.
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