According To Migala, How Is COVID-19 Spread, And How Can Peo

According to Migala, how is COVID-19 spread, and how can people best protect

The following essay, found on health.com, was last updated on 24 March, 2020. It includes the following note: The information in this story is accurate as of press time. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources. How Is Coronavirus Spread?

Here's What You Should (and Shouldn't) Worry About by Jessica Migala With more than 46,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States (and more than 392,000 cases worldwide), it's clear that the novel coronavirus (aka COVID-19), along with the anxiety surrounding it, isn't going anywhere soon. Because the virus is so new (it's technically called SARS-CoV-2, FYI), lots of the fear surrounding COVID-19 stems from how little we know about it. Luckily, experts do know some pretty important things about the virus' transmission, or how the coronavirus does—and doesn't—spread. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 is mainly spread from person-to-person, usually via close contact (within six feet).

It can spread through physical contact like handshaking if someone's hands are contaminated with the virus. And it can also spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes (again, that's why the six-feet rule is handy: those droplets can travel that far, and land on another person's mouth or nose, and can even be inhaled). The virus may also spread from person-to-person through surfaces that have been touched by those infected. "A sneezing or coughing person will cover their mouth, get it all over their hand, and then touch something that you then touch," Robert Murphy, MD, an infectious disease expert at Northwestern University, tells health.com. “The virus can then gain entry into your body when you touch your own face,†he adds.

That’s precisely why experts can only preach basic disease-prevention measures, like washing hands correctly (20 seconds with soap and water) and regularly, wiping down common surfaces, and staying away from sick people. Lastly, another possible way coronavirus can spread between people is via fecal transmission. According to recent research from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC), those with confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (aka, COVID-19) have live virus in stool specimens, meaning there's a possible fecal-oral route for the virus, as well. Unfortunately, the only way to truly know if someone has COVID-19 is to test them; that's because the symptoms of the illness look Extremely similar to that of the common cold or flu: cough, fever, and body aches.

It's also important to know that not everyone who is infected with coronavirus shows symptoms—as is the case with asymptomatic carriers, according to The New York Times, or those who carry the virus around, spreading to other people, but never falling ill themselves. According to the CDC, it's possible that some spread may occur before people infected with COVID-19 show symptoms, but it's probably not the main mode of transmission. It's currently believed that people are most contagious when they are most symptomatic. The recent coronavirus outbreak sparked a 2020 review published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, which looked at other coronaviruses (including SARS, MERS, and other endemic human coronaviruses), and determined that they can live on surfaces like metal, glass, or plastic for anywhere from two hours to nine days.

Subsequent research in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the virus can live on copper for up to four hours, on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on plastic and stainless steel for two to three days. However, investigators examining outbreaks of COVID-19 on three cruise ship voyages in February and March reported the first evidence that the virus may hang around much longer than initially thought. Traces of the virus were found in the cabins of infected Diamond Princess passengers (including symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals) 17 days after their cabins were vacated, according to the CDC. Even if we don't know exactly how long the virus lingers on surfaces, we do know that disinfecting surfaces is considered "best practice" for helping to prevent transmission of the virus.

So again, wiping down common surfaces (and avoiding touching common surfaces if possible) will help decrease the spread. The CDC recommends cleaning tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles regularly. However, it’s unlikely that COVID-19 is spread by mail or packages; if it were, there’d be even more cases, says Dr. Murphy. It's a fair question—especially since lots of other viruses, like norovirus or other gastrointestinal viruses can spread via contaminated food.

But, while a risk can't be ruled out if an infected person prepares the food or you buy it from a highly trafficked buffet, the coronavirus doesn't appear to be spread by food, according to The New York Times. The main way respiratory illnesses are spread is by touching a common surface a sick person touched and then putting your hand up to your eyes, nose, or mouth, says Dr. Murphy. Community spread is now being detected in a growing number of countries and in some areas of the US, says the CDC, which only solidifies the need for people to follow the CDC's preventive measures: avoiding close contact with people who are sick; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; staying home when you're sick; frequently disinfecting objects that are touched regularly; and washing your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating and after going to the bathroom.

Paper For Above instruction

COVID-19, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, primarily spreads through human-to-human contact. The primary transmission routes include respiratory droplets expelled when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, which can land on the mucous membranes of another person within close proximity—generally within six feet. Physical contact, such as handshaking, may also facilitate the spread if contaminated hands touch the face or other mucous membranes. The virus can survive on various surfaces, including metal, glass, and plastic, for periods ranging from a few hours to several days, which contributes to indirect transmission.

Surface contamination plays a significant role in the spread, as touching infected surfaces and then touching the face, eyes, nose, or mouth can introduce the virus into the body. Disinfection of frequently touched surfaces—such as doorknobs, light switches, countertops, and handles—is critical in reducing this risk. The virus has been shown to persist longer on certain materials: up to 17 days on surfaces in some cases, emphasizing the importance of diligent cleaning practices.

Fecal-oral transmission is a potential, though less understood, route of spread. Presence of live virus in stool specimens suggests that contaminated fecal matter could contribute to infection risk, especially in settings with poor sanitation. Despite this, foodborne transmission appears unlikely, as the virus is not efficiently spread through ingestion of contaminated food or packages, according to current evidence.

Infected individuals may be asymptomatic, yet still capable of transmitting the virus, particularly in the pre-symptomatic phase. Most contagious periods align with time when symptoms are most evident. This makes preventive measures crucial—especially maintaining physical distancing, wearing masks, practicing hand hygiene, and avoiding contact with sick individuals.

Additional preventative strategies not explicitly discussed in the article include proper ventilation in indoor spaces to dilute viral particles, use of air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters, and wearing well-fitted masks consistently during interactions outside of the home. These supplementary measures can further diminish the risk of airborne and surface transmission, contributing to comprehensive protection.

Personal steps I plan to adopt include prioritizing regular handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, disinfecting frequently touched objects daily, avoiding large gatherings, maintaining healthful social distancing, and ensuring proper indoor ventilation. I also intend to wear masks correctly in public, stay informed of official health updates, and support community efforts to reduce transmission, thus safeguarding myself and others from COVID-19.

References

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). How COVID-19 Spreads. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html
• van Doremalen, N., Bushmaker, T., & Morris, D. H. (2020). Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(16), 1564–1567.
• Kampf, G., Todt, D., Pfaenders, E., & Steinmann, E. (2020). Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. Journal of Hospital Infection, 104(3), 246–251.
• Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Evidence of the Fecal-Oral Transmission of COVID-19. China CDC Weekly.
• World Health Organization. (2020). Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: implications for infection prevention precautions. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/technical-specifications-for-infection-control
• Sun, Z., & Meng, Q. (2020). Environmental stability of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols and on surfaces. Science Advances, 6(23), eabb1770.
• Leung, N. H. L. (2021). Transmissibility and transmission of respiratory viruses. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 19(8), 491–505.
• Morawska, L., & Milton, D. K. (2020). It is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 71(9), 2311–2313.
• Rockefeller Foundation. (2020). Layered approaches for COVID-19 risk mitigation. https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/covid-19-guidance/
• CDC. (2020). Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html