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The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recently updated its guidelines for COVID-19 by incorporating the risk of airborne spread of the virus. By doing this, the government eventually followed the suit of World Health Organization (WHO) and other major countries, like United States, in acknowledging the possibility of the aerosol transmission of the pandemic-causing virus.
The amended measure stated that ,”SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads from an infected person to others through respiratory droplets and aerosols created when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, shouts, or talks”.
Further elaborating, it mentioned that “the droplets vary in size from large droplets that fall to the ground rapidly (within seconds or minutes) near the infected person, to smaller droplets, sometimes called aerosols, which linger in the air under some circumstances.”
This regulation, thus effectively modified PHAC’s earlier stance that the virus could only be spread through coming in contact with contaminated surfaces and breathing in respiratory droplets of the infected individuals.
The statement issued on behalf of PHAC, affirmed that,” We are committed to keep Canadians informed of the latest available scientific evidence and expert opinion, so they can make informed decisions to keep themselves and their family safe and healthy.” It also talked about continually reviewing new evidence and research as it emerges during the pandemic which shall guide their response to citizens.
Interestingly, this PHAC’s update about airborne risk to the COVID-19 guidelines came only after country’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam’s recommendation of using three-layer non-medical masks on Tuesday. Tam had earlier said, “This is an additional recommendation just to add another layer of protection. The science of masks has really accelerated during this particular pandemic. So we’re just learning again as we go.”
