Scientists and researchers wrote a letter to the World Health Organization regarding the emerging evidence of airborne transmission of coronavirus, and WHO has acknowledged the scientific documentation for airborne coronavirus spread.
Benedetta Allegranzi, the technical lead for infection prevention and control of WHO, was speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday in Geneva, and she said,
“The possibility of airborne transmission in public settings – especially in very specific conditions, crowded, closed, poorly ventilated settings have been described and cannot be ruled out.”
“However, the evidence needs to be gathered and interpreted, and we continue to support this.”
Previously, the WHO commented that COVID-19 is caused due to the small droplets released from mouth or nose while coughing and sneezing from an infected person, and they quickly fall on the ground.
On Monday, 239, scientists from 32 countries published a letter in Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal, that they wrote to the World Health Organization to provide evidence of floating particles of virus that infect people through an airborne transmission when they breathe. The scientist urged WHO to raise awareness and guidance in people and governments to signify that the small particles linger in the air and can cause COVID-19.
Also Read: Coronavirus is Airborne: Experts Vs. WHO
“We wanted them to acknowledge the evidence. This is definitely not an attack on the WHO. It is a scientific debate, but we felt we needed to go public because they were refusing to hear the evidence after many conversations with them.”
Jose Jimenez, a chemist from the University of Colorado, pointed out the purpose of releasing the letter in a statement. He added that in history, the medical professionals had experienced fierce opposition to the idea of aerosol transmission, and the evidence bar is set high because it will induce fear and panic among people.
“If people hear airborne, healthcare workers will refuse to go to the hospital, or people will buy up all the highly protective N-95 respirator masks, and there will be none left for developing countries.”
The United States government has given formal notification of withdrawal from the WHO in the next July. Trump stated that the organization had not provided the world with enough information and warning regarding the risk and crisis of coronavirus since the emergence in China. WHO released the statement of the emerging evidence for airborne transition later after the announced withdrawal notification of the US government.
Coronavirus pandemic has affected more than 200 countries around the world with current infections of approximately 12 million and 547, 321 deaths that are yet increasing.
