The DOI matches its Crossref record; 68 of the 69 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Dismantling myths on the airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)
Open accessAbstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused untold disruption throughout the world. Understanding the mechanisms for transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is key to preventing further spread, but there is confusion over the meaning of 'airborne' whenever transmission is discussed. Scientific ambivalence originates from evidence published many years ago which has generated mythological beliefs that obscure current thinking. This article collates and explores some of the most commonly held dogmas on airborne transmission in order to stimulate revision of the science in the light of current evidence. Six 'myths' are presented, explained and ultimately refuted on the basis of recently published papers and expert opinion from previous work related to similar viruses. There is little doubt that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via a range of airborne particle sizes subject to all the usual ventilation parameters and human behaviour. Experts from specialties encompassing aerosol studies, ventilation, engineering, physics, virology and clinical medicine have joined together to produce this review to consolidate the evidence for airborne transmission mechanisms, and offer justification for modern strategies for prevention and control of COVID-19 in health care and the community.
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“There is little direct evidence for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by any specific route [35].”
From The protective performance of reusable cloth face masks, disposable procedure masks, KN95 masks and N95 respirators: Filtration and total inward leakage (2021) · cites this paper as [35]
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Cites
Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks
Leung, N. H. L., Chu, D. K. W., Shiu, E. Y. C., Chan, K.-H., McDevitt, J. J., Hau, B. J. P., Yen, H.-L., Li, Y., Ip, D. K. M., Peiris, J. S. M., et al. (2020) · Nature Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41591-020-0843-2 · Cited by 2,270
Self-citationAirborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The world should face the reality
Morawska, L., & Cao, J. (2020) · Environment International · doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.105730 · Cited by 1,728
Self-citationHow can airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors be minimised?
Morawska, L., Tang, J. W., Bahnfleth, W., Bluyssen, P. M., Boerstra, A., Buonanno, G., Cao, J., Dancer, S., Floto, A., Franchimon, F., et al. (2020) · Environment International · doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.105832 · Cited by 1,343
Self-citationEvidence of Airborne Transmission of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus
Yu, I. T. S., Li, Y., Wong, T. W., Tam, W., Chan, A., Lee, J. H. W., Leung, D. Y. C., & Ho, T. (2004) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa032867 · Cited by 1,255
Self-citationIt is time to address airborne transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Morawska, L., & Milton, D. K. (2020) · Clinical Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa939 · Cited by 1,189
Self-citationBourouiba, L. (2020) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4756 · Cited by 1,066
How far droplets can move in indoor environments ? revisiting the Wells evaporation?falling curve
Xie, X., Li, Y., Chwang, A. T., Ho, P., & Seto, W. (2007) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2007.00469.x · Cited by 971
Self-citationAerosol and surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 observed in quarantine and isolation care
Santarpia, J. L., Rivera, D. N., Herrera, V. L., Morwitzer, M. J., Creager, H. M., Santarpia, G. W., Crown, K. K., Brett‐Major, D. M., Schnaubelt, E. R., Broadhurst, M. J., et al. (2020) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-020-69286-3 · Cited by 956
COVID-19 Outbreak Associated with Air Conditioning in Restaurant, Guangzhou, China, 2020
Lu, J., Gu, J., Li, K., Xu, C., Su, W., Lai, Z., DeQian, Z., Yu, C., Xu, B., & Yang, Z. (2020) · Emerging infectious diseases · doi:10.3201/eid2607.200764 · Cited by 880
Review of Aerosol Transmission of Influenza A virus
Tellier, R. (2006) · Emerging Infectious Diseases · doi:10.3201/eid1211.060426 · Cited by 803
Self-citation
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Zhou, 2020, Investigating SARS-CoV-2 surface and air contamination in an acute healthcare setting during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in London, Clin Infect Dis
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Ten scientific reasons in support of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2
Greenhalgh, T., Jimenez, J. L., Prather, K. A., Tufekci, Z., Fisman, D., & Schooley, R. (2021) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00869-2 · Cited by 930
Self-citationExhaled CO 2 as a COVID-19 Infection Risk Proxy for Different Indoor Environments and Activities
Peng, Z., & Jimenez, J. L. (2021) · Environmental Science & Technology Letters · doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00183 · Cited by 337
Self-citationPeng, Z., Rojas, A. L. P., Kropff, E., Bahnfleth, W. P., Buonanno, G., Dancer, S. J., Kurnitski, J., Li, Y., Loomans, M. G. L. C., Marr, L. C., et al. (2022) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/acs.est.1c06531 · Cited by 223
Self-citationThe size and culturability of patient-generated SARS-CoV-2 aerosol
Santarpia, J. L., Herrera, V. L., Rivera, D. N., Ratnesar-Shumate, S., Reid, S. P., Ackerman, D. N., Denton, P. W., Martens, J. W. S., Fang, Y., Conoan, N., et al. (2022) · Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology · doi:10.1038/s41370-021-00376-8 · Cited by 196
COVID-19 has redefined airborne transmission
Tang, J. W., Marr, L. C., Li, Y., & Dancer, S. J. (2021) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.n913 · Cited by 171
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Metadata
- Authors
- Tang, J. W., Bahnfleth, W. P., Bluyssen, P. M., Buonanno, G., Jimenez, J. L., Kurnitski, J., Li, Y., Miller, S., Sekhar, C., Morawska, L., Marr, L. C., Melikov, A. K., Nazaroff, W. W., Nielsen, P. V., Tellier, R., Wargocki, P., & Dancer, S. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Leicester (GB)
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- Delft University of Technology (NL)
- Università degli studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale (IT)
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (US)
- Tallinn University of Technology (EE)
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- National University of Singapore (SG)
- Queensland University of Technology (AU)
- Virginia Tech (US)
- Technical University of Denmark (DK)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Aalborg University (DK)
- McGill University (CA)
- Edinburgh Napier University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Dancer, S.J.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Hospital Infection
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-04
- Volume
- 110
- Pages
- 89-96
- ISSN
- 0195-6701 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7805396
- OpenAlex
- W3120172871
- Cited by
- 350
- References
- 69
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 96 · 2021: 122
- FWCI
- 11.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Hospital Infection (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- VBN Forskningsportal (Aalborg Universitet) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Edinburgh Napier Research Repository (Edinburgh Napier University) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion)
- Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi di Cassino (submittedVersion)
- Edinburgh Napier Research Repository (Edinburgh Napier University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Technical University of Denmark, DTU Orbit (Technical University of Denmark, DTU) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Research Repository (Delft University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Infection Control and Ventilation
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › General Dentistry › Dental Research and COVID-19
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › COVID-19 impact on air quality
- Keywords
- SARS-CoV-2, airborne transmission, COVID-19 pandemic, ventilation, infection control, healthcare settings, community transmission
- MeSH terms
- COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adult, Aerosols, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Air Microbiology, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Ventilation, Infection Control, Pandemics
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