Not enough evidence to say COVID-19 is airborne, Vergeire says

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday said there is no strong or even enough evidence to support claims that COVID-19 transmission is airborne.

In a television interview, Vergeire said the Department of Health (DOH) remains dependent on observation that the coronavirus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets.

“We still don’t have that strong evidence or enough evidence to really say that COVID is airborne. We are still working on that concept that COVID is transmitted by a droplet infection,” she said in an interview on ANC.

Vergeire made the statement in response to reports that COVID-19 transmission can be airborne. At least 239 scientists in 32 countries claimed that the coronavirus in smaller particles in the air can infect people.

Due to this, they are calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to revise its earlier recommendations about COVID-19.

The WHO said the coronavirus disease spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are expelled when a person with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes or speaks.

University of the Philippines’ Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology molecular biologist director Dr. Edsel Salvana said hospitals have been aware that the virus transmission can be airborne.

“Kahit dati naman po, sinasabi naman ng World Health Organization  (WHO), lalo na sa mga hospital na kung saan gumagawa po kami ng procedures na puwede pong maging airborne ‘yung virus,” he said.

“Pinagamit talaga ang mga healthcare workers noong mga tinatawag na N95,” he added.

Salvana clarified that there was actually no disagreement whether the virus can be airborne or not, as he underscored that the considered “main mode” of transmission is through respiratory droplets.

Vergeire reminded that a person can catch the virus in a lot of ways even with the strict observance of health measures.

“There might be times that you might miss out on being cautious and you will be touching surfaces or you might not be doing this appropriate physical distancing,” she said.

“There are a lot of ways because there is community transmission. That's why we have to be all cautious,” she added. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News