WHO briefing
World Health Organization, WHO said Tuesday it would study fresh evidence on airborne transmission of the Corona Virus, after an international group of scientists concluded it could spread far beyond two meters.
A group of 239 international scientists from 32 countries confirmed on Monday that the novel Corona Virus can spread through the air far beyond two meters.
This new finding puts the world on a whole new level of precautionary measures to be considered especially in enclosed and crowded spaces- walk ways, public transports, restaurants, shopping malls, etc.
WHO wants to put out a new scientific brief within days, rounding up the knowledge about how the virus can be transmitted and ensuring its guideline stays in line with the new evidence.
The two-meter (yard) physical distancing guideline has been a major factor in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 538,000 people and infected over 11.6 million since the outbreak emerged in China last December.- ChannelsTv
When an infected person exhales, they expel droplets. Droplets under five micrometers in size can become suspended in the air for several hours and travel up to tens of meters, they said.
Benedetta Allegranzi
Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO’s technical lead on infection control, in a virtual press conference, said:
“We acknowledge that there is emerging evidence in this field”.
“And therefore we believe that we have to be open to this evidence and understand its implications regarding the modes of transmission and also regarding the precautions that need to be taken,” she said.
Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, Maria Van Kerkhove, also WHO’s COVID-19 technical lead, said the United Nations health agency was producing a scientific brief consolidating the growing knowledge around transmission.
“It is important that what we know fits into the guidance that we have,” she said.
“We will be issuing our brief in the coming days, and that will outline everything that we have in this area.”
Meanwhile WHO’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the virus has “taken the world hostage” in conclusion to a statement he made saying that the pandemic was showing no signs of slowing down, as 400,000 new cases were reported over the weekend.
“The outbreak is accelerating and we’ve clearly not reached the peak of the pandemic,” he said.
“While the number of deaths appears to have levelled off globally, in reality some countries have made significant progress in reducing the number of deaths, while in other countries death toll is still on the rise.”
According to Channel’s News, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro — who caused huge controversy for repeatedly flouting containment measures and minimizing the risk of the virus — announced on Tuesday he had tested positive for the Corona Virus.
WHO sent him their best wishes for a speedy and full recovery.
“It brings home for us all the reality of this virus: no-one is special,” said the WHO’s emergencies director Michael Ryan.
“Whether we’re prince or pauper, we’re equally vulnerable.”
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