Yes, flu is airborne.
How Influenza Spreads
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness. Understanding how it spreads is crucial for preventing its transmission.
According to recent information, Influenza is primarily spread through airborne transmission via aerosols. These are tiny particles, much smaller than droplets, that are released into the air by an infected person.
The Role of Aerosols
When someone with the flu coughs, sneezes, talks, or even breathes, they expel these aerosols. Unlike larger droplets that fall quickly to the ground, aerosols are lightweight and can:
- Float through the air for an extended period.
- Travel longer distances, potentially infecting people several feet away or even across a room, especially in poorly ventilated spaces.
- Be inhaled directly into the lungs by another person.
This makes airborne transmission a significant pathway for the flu virus to spread from person to person.
Other Transmission Routes
While airborne transmission via aerosols is considered the primary route, flu can also spread through:
- Larger Droplets: These are expelled when coughing or sneezing but fall to the ground or surfaces within a few feet.
- Contact: Touching a surface or object that has the virus on it (like a doorknob or phone) and then touching your own mouth, nose, or eyes.
However, the ability of the virus to travel in tiny airborne particles means that simply being in the same indoor space as an infected person, even without direct close contact, can pose a risk of transmission.
Understanding that flu is primarily airborne highlights the importance of measures like improving ventilation, wearing masks in certain situations, and maintaining distance, in addition to hand hygiene and vaccination.
