KEY POINTS
  • WHO is considering "airborne precautions" for medical staff after a new study showed the coronavirus can survive in the air in some settings.
  • The coronavirus can go airborne, staying suspended in the air depending on factors such as heat and humidity, WHO officials said.
Pakistani rescue workers spray disinfectants in an effort to curb the spread of corona virus outbreak in Peshawar, Pakistan.

The World Health Organization is considering "airborne precautions" for medical staff after a new study showed the coronavirus can survive in the air in some settings.

The virus is transmitted through droplets, or little bits of liquid, mostly through sneezing or coughing, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, told reporters during a virtual news conference on Monday. "When you do an aerosol-generating procedure like in a medical care facility, you have the possibility to what we call aerosolize these particles, which means they can stay in the air a little bit longer."