239 Scientists Worldwide Urge WHO to Revise Recommendations as ‘Covid-19 is Airbourne’

Hundreds of scientists worldwide are claiming that there is strong evidence to suggest that the coronavirus is actually airbourne, and therefore want public recommendations to be changed.

IN an open letter to the World Health Organisation (WHO), hundreds of scientists from around the world have outlined the evidence to show that smaller particles can infect people. So they have urged WHO to revise their recommendations to the public. According to a report in the New York Times, 239 scientists in 32 countries have evidence that shows that the virus lingers in the air indoors and can infect those nearby, particularly in crowded areas with poor ventilation.

The scientists therefore want WHO to revise its recommendations. For example, face masks may be needed indoors, even in socially-distant settings. Health care workers may also “need N95 masks that filter out even the smallest respiratory droplets as they care for coronavirus patients.” They add that  “ventilation systems in schools, nursing homes, residences and businesses may need to minimise recirculating the air, and that ultraviolet lights may be needed to kill viral particles floating in tiny droplets indoors. Even cloth masks, if worn by everyone, can significantly reduce transmission, and WHO should say so clearly,” pointed out one of the scientists. The researchers plan to publish their letter in a scientific journal next week.