Although newer findings are emerging day by day, it is a definite fact that the SARS-CoV-2 viral particles in the air are one of the main drivers of transmission, especially in crowded areas like hospitals and restaurants. But despite several studies conducted throughout the pandemic, it is still unclear how the virus transmits in other settings.
Providing such evidence in a real-world setting for the first time, in a not yet peer-reviewed study, scientists reported that an inexpensive type of portable filter efficiently reduced the disease-causing microorganisms like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, and SARS-CoV-2 from hospital air. Since these organisms, bacteria specifically, are not typically known to be transmitted through the air, this study raises the possibility of aerosol transmission of those pathogens.
If these findings hold true and can be reproduced by other investigators, simple measures like this will provide a cost-effective solution to reduce the burden of airborne pathogens in crowded areas like hospitals, airports, restaurants, schools, etc., and would be an additional tool to keeping the pandemic in check when combined with vaccination, social distancing, and proper masking.
Learn more about this research here.
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