Coronavirus is airborne, acknowledges US CDC in updated guidelines

The smallest very fine droplets, and aerosol particles formed when these fine droplets rapidly dry, are small enough that they can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours, says CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has acknowledged that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus, can be transmitted through respiratory fluids, i.e, very fine droplets released during respiration, according to the updated guidelines on its website.

"People release respiratory fluids during exhalation (e.g., quiet breathing, speaking, singing, exercise, coughing, sneezing) in the form of droplets across a spectrum of sizes. These droplets carry virus and transmit infection," the revised guidelines on the website noted. 

They CDC goes on to say that largest droplets settle out of the air rapidly, within seconds to minutes and the smallest very fine droplets, and aerosol particles formed when these fine droplets rapidly dry, are small enough that they can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours.

The acknowledgment from the top infectious disease agency in US comes amid the growing chorus from scientists across the world that SARS-Cov-2 is airborne. 

Recently, a Lancet study, justifying the clamour, said that there is consistent and strong evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is predominantly transmitted through the air.

"The evidence supporting airborne transmission is overwhelming, and evidence supporting large droplet transmission is almost non-existent," Jimenez said. "It is urgent that the World Health Organization and other public health agencies adapt their description of transmission to the scientific evidence so that the focus of mitigation is put on reducing airborne transmission," the study noted.