Airborne route and bad use of ventilation systems as non-negligible factors in SARS-CoV-2 transmission
Autor
Correia, G.
Rodrigues, L.
Gameiro da Silva, M.
Gonçalves, T.
Institución
Resumen
The world is facing a pandemic of unseen proportions caused by a corona virus named SARS-CoV-2 with unprecedent worldwide measures being taken to tackle its contagion. Person-to-person transmission is accepted but
WHO only considers aerosol transmission when procedures or support treatments that produce aerosol are
performed. Transmission mechanisms are not fully understood and there is evidence for an airborne route to be
considered, as the virus remains viable in aerosols for at least 3 h and that mask usage was the best intervention
to prevent infection.
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC) are used as a primary infection disease control
measure. However, if not correctly used, they may contribute to the transmission/spreading of airborne diseases
as proposed in the past for SARS.
The authors believe that airborne transmission is possible and that HVAC systems when not adequately used
may contribute to the transmission of the virus, as suggested by descriptions from Japan, Germany, and the
Diamond Princess Cruise Ship. Previous SARS outbreaks reported at Amoy Gardens, Emergency Rooms and
Hotels, also suggested an airborne transmission.
Further studies are warranted to confirm our hypotheses but the assumption of such way of transmission
would cause a major shift in measures recommended to prevent infection such as the disseminated use of masks
and structural changes to hospital and other facilities with HVAC systems.