With every passing day, there is a growing consensus about how exactly you become infected with COVID-19. Scientists say that it is not common to contract coronavirus from a contaminated surface. Also, there is very less probability of spreading the virus because of the fleeting encounters with people outdoors.
Instead, the major cause of spreading the coronavirus is close-up or person-to-person interactions for extended periods. “Crowded events, poorly ventilated areas, and places where people are talking loudly—or singing, in one famous case—maximize the risk,” said a report.
These findings can help governments devise a strategy to protect public health while getting economic activities back on track once again. These include making masks mandatory in stores and other places, having better ventilation systems, and keeping windows open whenever possible.
Two recent large studies showed that wide-scale lockdowns helped in preventing millions from getting infected and also saved the lives of thousands of people around the world. Now, with more knowledge in hand, cities, and states can deploy targeted interventions to keep the virus from taking off again, scientists and public-health experts said.
This means there is needs to be more stress on following social distancing and wearing masks. It is also important to reduce the number of gathering in enclosed spaces.
“We should not be thinking of a lockdown, but of ways to increase physical distance,” Tom Frieden, chief executive of Resolve to Save Lives, a nonprofit public-health initiative, was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal.
“This can include allowing outside activities, allowing walking or cycling to an office with people all physically distant, curbside pickup from stores, and other innovative methods that can facilitate the resumption of economic activity without a rekindling of the outbreak,” Frieden said.
Some studies have also found that respiratory-droplet contact is one of the major causes of coronavirus transmission. These droplets can transfer COVID-19 if they land on your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Some researchers are of the view that the virus can also be transmitted through aerosols, or minuscule droplets that float in the air longer than large droplets. These aerosols can be directly inhaled.
Another factor that is important as far as the spread of the virus is concerned is prolonged exposure. That’s generally defined as 15 minutes or more of unprotected contact with someone less than 6 feet away.