THE SPREAD SPREAD THE HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION Direct or indirect contact with infected secretions such as saliva and respiratory secretions or their respiratory droplets. The virus primarily spreads through these fluid droplets. Infected droplets are expelled whenever a carrier sneezes, coughs, speaks, or even breathes.
The virus may also become airborne when aerosols are generated in some process. New findings show that the previous minimum droplet size of 5 micrometers for transmission is incorrect, and that the virus stays on smaller particles (classified as “aerosols� which are airborne).
Airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed; i.e., endotracheal intubation and bronchoscopy.
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