A new infectious disease is very scary to epidemiologists, healthcare workers and the public. One of the hardest problems to deal with during the coronavirus pandemic is the uncertainty, because the only way we will learn more about it is to coexist with it longer. One of the biggest sources of confusion during this pandemic has to do with viral transmission, and if COVID-19 is airborne.

*Important Note: COVID-19 has not been around long enough for scientists to be experts on it. This means that ideas and facts we have now can be discredited in the future the longer we observe and study. Information and evidence in this article has been gathered from current sources, but may not be factually sound.

Before trying to figure out if COVID-19 is airborne, it is important to understand the difference between droplets and aerosols. Both have the ability to spread viruses through the air, but only aerosols can be classified as airborne. Droplets are tiny bits of mucus and saliva that contain viral particles. They often come from a cough or a sneeze, and travel a short distance through the air before gravity pulls them to the ground. When droplets leave a person's body, they can land on anything or anyone nearby. They cannot linger in the air, which is why they cannot be called airborne, but wherever they land becomes contaminated and still has the ability to infect someone. When coughing or sneezing, just covering your face and nose with the crook of your arm can stop most droplets. Aerosols are different. They form when the mucus and saliva of smaller droplets evaporate before they reach the ground, leaving only viral particles. Without mucus and saliva weighing them down, these particles are able to travel through the air (the amount of time depends on the disease). These aerosols have the ability to infect someone after the host leaves the area.

There has been a lot of debate over whether COVID-19 can be spread through aerosols or not. The majority of recorded cases have resulted from close contact in indoor spaces, but that does not point to one answer. On one hand, the spread from close proximity means it was likely from droplets travelling from one person and entering through the eyes, nose or mouth of another person less than 2 meters away. On the other hand, indoor spaces are often poorly ventilated, and the same air recirculates through the space, dramatically increasing the risk of breathing in an airborne disease. The evidence that we have currently strongly suggests that COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets and contaminated surfaces, but until it is proven otherwise, the possibility of it being an airborne virus cannot be discredited.

Students' Perspectives
Although evidence about whether COVID-19 is airborne or not is not yet known, it is important for students to understand the difference between droplets and aerosols in order to stay safe. As studies continue, students should stay updated on information about the virus, as they interact with many people in places such as schools.