This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On July 5, 2020, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) faced mounting pressure from experts to consider the possibility of airborne transmission of the coronavirus.
Dr. Trish Greenhalgh, a primary care doctor at the University of Oxford in Britain, emphasized the uncertainty surrounding the virus's transmission. 'There is no incontrovertible proof that SARS-CoV-2 travels or is transmitted significantly by aerosols, but there is absolutely no evidence that it's not,' she said.
Dr. Greenhalgh and other researchers suggested that the W.H.O. adopt a 'precautionary principle' and recommend protective measures, such as masking, to mitigate the risk of transmission.
Dr. Benedetto Allegranzi, the W.H.O.'s technical lead on infection control, acknowledged the lack of direct evidence for fomite transmission but pointed to the known transmission of other coronaviruses and respiratory viruses through contact with contaminated objects.
The W.H.O. must balance the need for caution with the practical considerations of implementing recommendations in countries with limited resources, Dr. Allegranzi noted.
