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The transmission of the new coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, happens mainly through contact with infected people, through the inhalation of saliva droplets and respiratory secretions that are suspended in the air when the person with COVID-19 coughs or sneezes, for example. .
Therefore, it is important that preventive measures are adopted, such as washing your hands with soap and water, avoiding staying indoors with many people and covering your mouth and nose whenever you need to sneeze or cough.
Coronavirus is a family of viruses responsible for respiratory changes, which usually cause fever, severe cough and difficulty breathing. Learn more about coronaviruses and the symptoms of the COVID-19 infection.
The main forms of transmission of the new coronavirus appear to be through:
1. Droplets of saliva and respiratory secretions
The most common form of transmission of the new coronavirus is by inhalation or contact of saliva droplets or respiratory secretions, which are present in the air for a few seconds or minutes after an infected person coughs or sneezes.
This form of transmission justifies the large number of people infected by the virus and, therefore, it was declared by the World Health Organization as the main form of transmission, and measures must be taken to avoid contact with saliva droplets and respiratory secretions, such as not getting indoors with lots of people and always cover your mouth and nose when you need to cough or sneeze.
According to an investigation carried out by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan [3], there is a 19 times higher risk of catching the virus indoors, than outdoors, precisely because there is closer contact between people and for more time.
2. Contact with contaminated surfaces
Contact with contaminated surfaces also seems to be an important form of contagion, since, according to research carried out in the United States [2], the new coronavirus can remain infectious for up to three days on some surfaces:
- Plastic and stainless steel: up to 3 days;
- Copper: 4 hours;
- Cardboard: 24 hours.
When you put your hands on these surfaces and then rub your face, to scratch your eye or clean your mouth, for example, it is possible that you can become contaminated by the virus, which can enter the body through the mucous membranes of your mouth, eyes and nose.
For this reason, the WHO recommends frequent hand washing, especially after being in public places or who are at greater risk of being contaminated with droplets from coughing or sneezing by others. In addition, it is also important to disinfect surfaces regularly. See more about cleaning surfaces at home and at work to protect yourself from COVID-19.
3. Consumption of wild animals
This appears to be the first recorded form of contagion of the new coronavirus, which came from the contact and consumption of infected wild animals in a market in China. Thus, the contact or consumption of sick animals, especially wild animals, such as snakes and bats, is completely contraindicated.
4. Contact with contaminated feces
A study conducted in February 2020 in China [1] also suggested that the transmission of the new coronavirus may happen via the fecal-oral route, especially in children, because 8 of the 10 children included in the study had a positive result for coronavirus in the rectal swab and negative in the nasal swab, indicating that the virus could remain in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, a more recent study from May 2020 [4], also showed that it was possible to isolate the virus in the feces of 12 of the 28 adults studied and diagnosed with COVID-19.
Spanish researchers also checked the presence of the new coronavirus in the sewage [5] and found that SARS-CoV2 was present even before the first cases were confirmed, indicating that the virus was already circulating among the population. Another study carried out in the Netherlands [6] aimed to identify particles of the virus in the sewage and found that some of the structures of this virus were present, which may indicate that the virus can be eliminated in the faeces.
Despite these discoveries, fecal-oral transmission has not yet been proven, however it is possible that sewage water monitoring is considered a strategy for monitoring viral spread.
Better understand how the transmission happens and how to protect yourself from COVID-19:
How not to get the coronavirus
To avoid COVID-19 infection, it is recommended to adopt a set of protective measures that include:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after contacting someone who has the virus or is suspected;
- Avoid closed and crowded environments, because in these environments the virus can spread more easily and reach a larger number of people;
- Wear personal protective masks to cover your nose and mouth and especially avoid transmission to other people. In regions with a higher risk of infection and for health professionals who are caring for people with suspected coronavirus, the use of masks of the type N95, N100, PFF2 or PFF3 is recommended.
- Avoid contact with wild animals or animals that appear to be sick, as transmission can happen between animals and people;
- Avoid sharing personal objects that may have droplets of saliva, for example, cutlery and glasses.
In addition, as a way to prevent transmission, the World Health Organization is developing and implementing measures to monitor suspicions and cases of coronavirus infection in order to understand the virulence of the virus and the transmission mechanism. Check out other ways to avoid getting the coronavirus.
Learn more about this virus in the following video: