This is going to be a short and health-awareness related post regarding the new discovery of the mode of transmission of the flu virus.
Mode of transmission of flu virus- What we know?
- By inhaling the drops containing flu virus in the air ejected by a person's sneezing or coughing who is already infected.
- By touching a surface or object contaminated with flu virus
image source I think it is the perfect picture about this topic. Spend time with your doll and protect other family members
What is the new knowledge?
A patient suffering from flu can spread the virus by normal breathing. Sneezing or coughing is not necessary to spread the virus.
The new research:
The research was conducted by Dr Donald Milton, a professor of environmental health at the University of Maryland, and his colleagues. They analyzed the air around 142 known patients suffering from flu. They found that 48% of the sample collected from the air around a flu patient who were just breathing normally-neither coughing nor sneezing, contained detectable influenza viruses.
The lead researcher Dr Donald Milton said,
"We found that flu cases contaminated the air around them with infectious virus just by breathing, without coughing or sneezing,"
He also told that the first day of illness if the most virulent period when they(flu infected patients) discharge the highest quantity of viruses by exhaling air.
"People with flu generate infectious aerosols [tiny droplets that stay suspended in the air for a long time] even when they are not coughing, and especially during the first days of illness,"
He suggested that having or not having coughing/sneezing, a flu patient should stay home, shouldn't come to the work place to infect others.
"So when someone is coming down with influenza, they should go home and not remain in the workplace and infect others."
The researchers also found that sneezing or coughing do not add an extra load of a virus to the environment, same as breathing.
Normally doctors or health professionals advise general people to keep surfaces clean, wash hands carefully all the time and avoid flu-infected people who are coughing to protect themselves from contracting flu. This new study will change the pattern of advice. Now we have to warn the public that spending time with a flu patient or simple face to face talk might be sufficient enough to infect them.
Today's take-home message
I think, in this context, a reminder about the differences between flu and common cold won't be inappropriate
