Paul Hunter, professor of medicine and pharmacy at the University of East Anglia and non-permanent advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO), said it is difficult to determine how people became infected with nCoV, although the virus has infected 107 people.

For example, a person may touch a cashier counter that a Covid-19 patient once touched, but also come into contact with supermarket staff or that person’s child who was infected by classmates.

Spread through contact surfaces

Theoretically, nCoV can be transmitted through the surface of shared objects.

An editorial in Nature magazine published in early February wrote that nCoV infection through surfaces is rare.

According to Professor Hunter, nCoV can be transmitted through contact with surfaces containing the virus, but proving it is challenging.

In February 2020, scientists examined the surfaces of objects at Wuhan hospital – where a large number of Covid-19 patients were treated at that time.

However, after a year of living with the pandemic, epidemiologists have still not found clear evidence of nCoV infection due to contact with surfaces containing the virus.

Americans wear masks when going out to avoid nCoV infection.

Transmitted through droplets

Scientists generally agree that nCoV is transmitted through droplets between people in close contact.

The smallest drops of water will continue to float in the air for a while.

Singing or speaking loudly also poses a high risk because of the excessive air flow.

Transmitted through the air

Whether nCoV is transmitted through the air or not is a controversial question.

At the beginning of the pandemic, most scientists were still skeptical about the possibility of the virus being transmitted through the air.

According to a study published in May 2020 in the journal Nature Research, genetic material of nCoV was found in air samples in two hospitals in Wuhan.

Another investigation at a restaurant in Guangzhou, China, found traces of nCoV in the air conditioning system.

WHO guidance in November 2020 said: `Airborne infection can occur in certain settings, especially indoors, crowded and crowded places, where people infected with the virus come into contact.`

In 2020, German Chancellor Angela Merkel advised people to open windows as an effective and inexpensive way to fight the epidemic.

Mai Dung (According to Telegraph)