Aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2? Evidence, prevention and control

Environ Int. 2020 Nov:144:106039. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106039. Epub 2020 Aug 7.

Authors

Song Tang¹, Yixin Mao², Rachael M Jones³, Qiyue Tan², John S Ji⁴, Na Li², Jin Shen², Yuebin Lv², Lijun Pan², Pei Ding², Xiaochen Wang², Youbin Wang², C Raina MacIntyre⁵, Xiaoming Shi⁶

Affiliations

¹ China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China; Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China.
² China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China.
³ Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA.
⁴ Environmental Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215316, China; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
⁵ Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; College of Public Service & Community Solutions and College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, USA.
⁶ China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China; Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China. Electronic address: shixm@chinacdc.cn.

Abstract

As public health teams respond to the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), containment and understanding of the modes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission is of utmost importance for policy making. During this time, governmental agencies have been instructing the community on handwashing and physical distancing measures. However, there is no agreement on the role of aerosol transmission for SARS-CoV-2. To this end, we aimed to review the evidence of aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Several studies support that aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is plausible, and the plausibility score (weight of combined evidence) is 8 out of 9. Precautionary control strategies should consider aerosol transmission for effective mitigation of SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: Airborne transmission; COVID-19; Hospital; Mask; Precaution; Respiratory protection.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aerosols*
Betacoronavirus
COVID-19
Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
Humans
Pandemics / prevention & control
Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
Pneumonia, Viral / transmission*
SARS-CoV-2

Substances

Aerosols