The World Health Organization (WHO) has, along with nearly 500 experts, established a clear definition for diseases that spread 'through the air.' This consensus aims to eliminate the confusion experienced during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a confusion that some experts believe led to avoidable lives lost.
Released on Thursday, the Geneva-based U.N. health agency's technical document is a pivotal step towards improving strategies to prevent airborne transmission of both existing diseases like measles and potential future pandemic threats.
The WHO's document clarifies that \"through the air\" accurately describes infectious diseases where the primary transmission occurs via pathogens traveling or remaining suspended in the air. This aligns with existing terminology such as \"waterborne\" diseases, facilitating better understanding across various disciplines and the general public.
This milestone saw contributions from nearly 500 experts, including physicists, public health professionals, and engineers, many of whom previously had significant disagreements over the classification of airborne diseases.
Historically, health agencies required substantial proof before labeling a disease as airborne, leading to stringent containment measures. The new definition broadens the criteria by also considering the risk of exposure and the severity of the disease.
Additionally, the document moves away from the contentious debate over whether infectious particles should be classified as \"droplets\" or \"aerosols\" based on size, providing a more streamlined approach to understanding disease transmission.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
