COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2, is so new on the scene that scientists haven’t had much of a chance to study it in depth. As a result, many things about the virus, from why some people spread it asymptomatically without getting sick to how to properly prevent it are still evolving. Initially, some believed that it could be spread physically, through touching something at the store that an infected person handled. But this is no longer a major concern.
However, one thing is known for sure about the illness – it is indeed airborne.
What Is an Airborne Virus?
What does it mean when a virus is airborne? Well, to put it simply, the virus goes into the air and lingers there, where it can be breathed in by a person not wearing a mask. Scientists have discovered that COVID-19 is indeed an airborne virus and that there are two different ways that it spreads from person to person.
Spreading the Virus Through Droplets
In the first example, someone who’s carrying the virus exhales. That person isn’t wearing a mask, so tiny particles of the virus enter the air through their respiratory droplets. If someone nearby also isn’t wearing a mask, they can breathe in the virus and pass it on to others in the same manner.
How an Airborne Virus Moves from Person to Person
Another way that an airborne virus spreads is through microscopic particulates that enter the air when someone carrying it breathes, talks, or coughs without a mask on. These actions don’t produce the same droplets as in the first example, but the virus is there nonetheless. It lingers in the air, where it can be breathed in by someone either not wearing a mask or wearing the wrong type of mask.
Why Is Wearing a Mask Important?
As you can see from the two examples above, an airborne virus needs to be breathed in for it to spread from one person to another. If the person sneezing in example one wears a mask, those droplets are captured by the mask material and the number of particles entering the air are reduced. Someone coughing, talking, or breathing through their mouth, like in example two, while wearing a mask, won’t spread the virus as far. So, though cumbersome, it’s easy to see that donning a mask in public keeps you safe in both of these situations, because the fabric will help capture any virus that you may be carrying. Washing your hands after taking the mask off keeps you doubly safe and ensures you remain healthy.
Warnings About COVID-19
One of the most concerning things about COVID-19 is the fact that it’s a new virus, and our understanding of it is constantly evolving, minute to minute. From the manner in which it’s spread – through the air or via respiratory droplets – to the many symptoms that expose it, things are constantly changing. However, one thing will remain the same – the virus is indeed airborne, and therefore, we must take the appropriate precautions.
It’s best to simply stay informed and remain prudent in wearing your mask to protect yourself from this airborne viral menace and prioritize your health and safety, and that of those around you as well.