Philippine Daily Inquirer

NYT REPORT CITES HUNDREDS OF SCIENTISTS SAYING CORONAVIRU­S IS AIRBORNE

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Hundreds of scientists say there is evidence that the new coronaviru­s in smaller particles in the air can infect people and are calling for the World Health Organizati­on (WHO) to revise recommenda­tions, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

The WHO has said the coronaviru­s spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are expelled when a person with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes or speaks.

COVID-19 is the severe remoderate spiratory ailment caused by the new coronaviru­s.

In an open letter to the agency, which the researcher­s plan to publish in a scientific journal next week, 239 scientists in 32 countries outlined the evidence showing smaller particles can infect people, the Times said.

The WHO did not immediatel­y respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Whether carried by large droplets that zoom through the air after a sneeze, or by much smaller exhaled droplets that may glide the length of a room, the coronaviru­s is borne through air and can infect people when inhaled, the scientists said, according to the Times.

But the health agency said the evidence for the virus being airborne was not convincing, according to the Times. “Especially in the last couple of months, we have been stating several times that we consider airborne transmissi­on as possible but certainly not supported by solid or even clear evidence,” Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO’S technical lead of infection prevention and control, was quoted as saying by the Times.

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