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WHO Under Fire Over COVID-19 Transmission Route

Steve Baragona

   WASHINGTON - Does the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spread through
   tiny aerosol particles in the air? Or is the main route of transmission
   the droplets people release when they talk or breathe?

   The answer may affect what precautions people should take to protect
   themselves from the virus.

   A group of 239 scientists say airborne transmission is a major factor.
   [1]According to The New York Times, they are urging the World Health
   Organization to acknowledge the issue and make its recommendations on
   infection control more stringent.

   They say WHO is lagging behind the science. But the question is not
   entirely settled, and other experts defend the agency's response.

   This is not the first time the global health body has come under fire
   during the COVID-19 pandemic.

   Late last month, it changed the timeline of the early days of the
   pandemic to clarify that it first found out about the novel coronavirus
   from Chinese news reports, not the Chinese government.

   "This could be taken as (not very) veiled criticism of Chinese lack of
   transparency/cooperation with WHO in these early days of the epidemic,"
   Georgetown University global health assistant research professor Claire
   Standley wrote in an email to VOA, "and is something of an about-face
   from WHO's prior staunch and steadfast support of the Chinese
   response."

References

   1. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/04/health/239-experts-with-one-big-claim-the-coronavirus-is-airborne.html

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