Before I go on, dear reader, I’d like to assure you that there’s no reason to panic.
Reader: Panic? I don’t even know the meaning of that word.
Ok, that’s great. Because these findings don’t necessarily prove anything, alright?
Reader: Do you think I’m dumb? Panicking solves absolutely nothing and just makes everything worse.
Exactly. So some Chinese scientists in Wuhan claim that the coronavirus is airborne but-
Reader: OH MY GOD WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!
Why do I keep doing this to myself?
Chinese Scientists Claim Coronavirus is Airborne
Chinese scientists have reported that they captured tiny droplets containing the genetic markers of the Covid-19 virus from the air in two hospitals in Wuhan, China.
In other words, they found the coronavirus in the air.
In February and March, scientists collected samples at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and at a makeshift temporary medical facility.
They also sampled the air in public areas around Wuhan, according to Bloomberg.
Contrary to what you might think, they actually found very little coronavirus in the air of the isolation wards or in the patient rooms of the hospital, which were well ventilated.
However, elevated concentrations of the virus were detected in the small toilet areas, about 1 square yard in size, which were not ventilated.
This is why we should avoid small, cramped places.
The scientists also detected viruses in the air in the locations where staff members took off their protective garments.
The concentrations were drastically reduced after the hospitals implemented more rigorous cleaning procedures, however.
Fortunately, no viruses were detected in most of the public places they studied, including the residential building and the supermarket.
Some levels were found in crowded areas outside one of the hospitals and in the department stores, though.
These findings were published on Monday (27 April) in the journal Nature.
Supporting Evidence
According to Bloomberg, researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre have also found coronavirus RNA in the air as well as on surfaces in rooms.
Those findings have not been published in a journal, however, as it’s still in the process of being reviewed by other scientists.
But they suspect that the presence of the virus in locations like under a bed and on window sills suggests that small droplets were carried around the rooms by air currents, because those are “out-of-the-way” locations.
Airborne Virus May Not Be Infectious
Remember when I told you not to panic? Well, that’s because it’s still unknown if the virus in these airborne samples they collected was infectious.
Some experts believe that the coronavirus is being spread by tiny droplets known as aerosols in the air, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) is not convinced.
WHO downplayed the possibility, saying the coronavirus is mostly transmitted through larger droplets that do not remain airborne for long, or through the touching of contaminated surfaces.
So, while it’s possible that virus particles detected in the air could be infectious, it’s also possible that it’s harmless virus fragments.
Also, the paper didn’t state whether people passing through those areas were wearing masks, which certainly would have made a difference.
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Reader: But just in case, it’s safer not to breathe until the circuit breaker ends, right?
Sometimes, I don’t know why I bother with you, dear reader.
Reader: I don’t know either.