DOH acknowledges COVID-19 can be airborne 'in specific settings'

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Saturday said that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could be airborne under "specific settings."

"Ang WHO [World Health Organization]  naman nagpalabas din and even our experts are saying, it can be airborne in specific settings," Vergeire said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

Vergeire cited the examples of hospitals, which have aerosol-producing equipment, and closed settings.

"Kaya nga tayo ay nagkakaroon ng rekomendasyon na sana kung magkakaroon ng pagbubukas ng ibang sektor katulad ng mga restaurant, it should be an open air para po hindi tayo nagkakaroon ng mga ganitong instances," she said.

Her comments came as the World Health Organization acknowledged "evidence emerging" of the airborne spread of the novel coronavirus, after a group of scientists urged the organization to revise its earlier recommendations about COVID-19.

Experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) said that hospitals in the country have been aware that the virus causing COVID-19 can be airborne.

Earlier, Vergeire said there is no strong or even enough evidence to support claims that COVID-19 transmission is airborne, adding that the Department of Health (DOH) remains dependent on observation that the coronavirus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets. —LBG, GMA News