COVID-19 may transmit through aerosol

COVID-19 may transmit through aerosol

Juan Wang, Guaqiang Du

7 March 2020

Recently, the American government has changed its stance on public mask/face coverings due to evidence supporting the suppression of transmission in countries that have encouraged all citizens to wear masks in public. Although this may appear to be a sudden, almost hypocritical, change by the presiding administration, there has been evidence suggesting the use of public facial coverings for well over a month. The true usefulness of mask-wearing may come from the reduced face touching or the prevention of droplets from leaving an asymptomatic vector (as more and more evidence supports the theory that a significant % of infected patients remain asymptomatic). Still, the scientific community does not agree on the specific cause. Instead, we have the data to support the use of masks, and this information has been transmitted to everyone via mass media. As support for this decision, I present an overview of a briefing written by researchers Juan Wang and Gzuaqiang Du from Ireland. In this short briefing, the researchers express their severe concern for the transmission of COVID-19 through aerosol directly. Although not validated by experimental evidence, actions must be taken to try and mitigate this now growing threat (such as implementing mask use!). The primary support for the aerosol theory comes from infected laboratory technicians who had no contact with any other infected personal. One theory is that the virus in the patients' blood aerosolized when exposed to the air, thus infecting the laboratory personnel. Although this specific theory is not supported by cause-and-effect experimental analysis, additional evidence from this past month supports the hypothesis that mask use may help to mitigate the human-human direct spreading of COVID-19.