Many have doubted whether the coronavirus could be transmitted through the air. Scientists are still studying and debating on that possibility. There have been previous studies performed in laboratories to examine tiny droplets of the virus. However, a recent study finds small droplet particles containing the virus in confined spaces in real-life settings in two Wuhan hospitals.
Whether or not the particles could still be transmissible to others remain to be unclear to scientists. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg, the leader of the Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine said that the missing piece in solving the puzzle is possible viral replication. It remains unclear if the virus could be cultured by air.
The World Health Organisation has previously dismissed the allegation of coronavirus being airborne, saying that the disease is mostly transmitted through larger droplets that do not remain airborne for long. They say it could also be spread through touching contaminated surfaces.
Professor Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, says that the droplet particles could stay in the air floating for about two hours. There could be a likelihood that someone without a mask could inhale them.
She adds that the findings of the Chinese scientists strongly suggests the potential for airborne transmission. Marr and other scientists claim that evidence is building up, pointing to the ability of the coronavirus to spread through tiny droplets, also known as aerosols.
In February and March, scientists collected samples at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and from a temporary medical facility used to quarantine and treat patients with mild symptoms of the coronavirus. They also sampled the air in public locations around Wuhan, including a residential building, two department stores, and a supermarket.
The researchers found a minimal amount of virus in well-ventilated areas such as in patient's rooms or isolations wards. However, they found concentrations of the virus in poorly ventilated toilet areas, measuring about 1 square yard. Due to the findings, Marr emphasizes people to avoid confined spaces.
The team also found viruses hovering in the air in the area where staff members usually take off their personal protective equipment. The finding suggests that viruses had settled on their clothing and could be sloshed back into the air. Fortunately, virus readings significantly reduced after the hospitals implemented stricter cleaning policies.
The Wuhan research also found that there were no viruses in most of the public places they studied. The locations include a residential building and supermarket. However, there were some levels detected in crowded areas outside one of the hospitals and in the department stores.
The study was published in the journal Nature on April 27.
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On Par With Nebraskan Study
Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre performed a similar study with findings that complement those of the Wuhan research.
Their study found the presence of coronavirus RNA in the air as well as on surfaces in hospital rooms. The study, however, did not determine the size of the droplets found. They found the presence of the virus' RNA in mostly forgotten areas, such as under a bed and on window sills.
Their findings suggested that small droplets were carried around the rooms by air currents. Just like the Wuhan research, it was not determined whether the viruses were still infectious.
In supplementary experiments, scientists are trying to grow the virus in cultures to see if they are capable of making people sick.
The Nebraskan research is currently being reviewed by other scientists before its publication in a journal.
