In November 2021, after a Christmas party in Oslo, Norway, approximately 70 per cent of the 111 interviewed guests were diagnosed with COVID-19. This and many other super-spreader events supported what some scientists had been saying since the start of the pandemic: COVID is airborne.
When an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks or simply breathes, they release saliva droplets of various sizes containing infectious particles. Droplets larger than 100 microns fall down in seconds, typically within a two-meter radius. Another person can then contract the infection either by allowing droplets to land on their mucous membranes or by transferring the virus from their hands to the mucous membranes after touching a contaminated surface. In the first year of the pandemic, the World Health Organization and other public health agencies focused on this sort of large-droplet transmission. Thus, their messaging emphasized sanitizing hands and surfaces, physical distancing, installing Plexiglas, wearing cloth masks and avoiding touching the face.
By mid-2021, however, mounting evidence showed that COVID-19 was primarily spreading through aerosol transmission, which means it can transmit through the air via suspended respiratory fluid droplets smaller than 100 microns. These aerosols are light enough to remain suspended for hours, and can travel more than six feet.
By December 2021, the WHO finally conceded that the COVID-19 virus is airborne. This meant that guidelines based on droplet transmission — such as standing six feet apart and wearing cloth masks — were inadequate infection prevention strategies. In spaces with poor ventilation and minimal air filtration, aerosols build up and persist over time, similar to cigarette smoke. They are then easily inhaled through gaps in face masks.
Combating an airborne virus is challenging in indoor settings. It requires additional measures such as upgrading existing building ventilation, adding stand-alone air filters, installing ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, reducing crowds, limiting time spent indoors and ensuring everyone wears well-fitted medical-grade masks such as N95s.
The lifting of public health measures means that infections will likely increase exponentially. Fortunately, there are some simple things we can all do to stay safe. First, we can get our booster shots and wear well-fitted N95 masks, which can filter out at least 95 per cent of airborne particles. Second, buildings can use HEPA filters in their HVAC systems and open windows whenever possible. Finally, installing DIY Corsi-Rosenthal boxes is a simple, cost-effective means to clean indoor air using materials from a hardware store.
These voluntary measures can help protect the most vulnerable members of our communities, who remain susceptible to serious COVID-19 infections. Moreover, there is sufficient evidence to show that even mild infections can cause debilitating symptoms of “long COVID,” making the need for prevention measures urgent and undeniable.
Despite the lifting of mask mandates, I will still be wearing my N95 for the foreseeable future, especially in crowded indoor spaces. I hope you will join me. Together, we can limit the spread of the virus.
I am grateful to scientist Kimberly Prather for reviewing my article for scientific accuracy.
Shiven Taneja is a high school student from Mississauga, Ont.
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Originally Appeared Here