Droplet Transmission
SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through droplets generated from any number of actions such as speaking, singing and especially coughing or sneezing. These droplets can remain in the air anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
Fomite Transmission
Fomites are porous and nonporous surfaces or objects that can become contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 and serve as vehicles for transmitting the virus. Fomites might include door handles, elevator buttons, cell phones, groceries and more.
Airborne Transmission
SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted through airborne or aerosol viral particles as a result of speaking, singing and especially coughing or sneezing as well as different medical procedures in hospitals.
Contact Tracing
Contact tracing is a public health strategy used to track the transmission of COVID-19. By contacting infected cases and their contacts people who may be infected can isolate and quarantine to reduce the spread of the virus.
COVID-19 Testing
Getting tested for COVID-19 helps track the spread of the virus and prevents exposing others to the virus whether or not you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19. Click here to read more about different types of COVID-19 testing.
Face Masks
The use of face masks can significantly reduce the spread of COVID-19. It’s important to wear a mask and social distance to protect yourself and others from spreading the virus.
Waste Water
Waste Water based epidemiology may serve as a potential tool in containing and mitigating COVID-19 outbreaks by tracking the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in waste water and testing residents where it is prevalent, thus proactively tracking the virus.
Vaccines
The race to develop an effective vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 has been essential for daily activities to fully reopens and allow for large gatherings of people, especially in indoor settings.
HVAC
The movement and filtration of the air is an important aspect to study when it comes to understanding how the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads in the built environment and how it may impact the risk associated with indoor spaces.
Variants
Viruses are always changing through mutations. As mutations occur, variants of a virus occur and depending on how the virus is transmitted, those variants can emerge and can disappear, but they can also persist. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been documented in the US and globally.
Reopening Schools
The decision on how, and if, to reopen schools safely at all levels has remained one of the biggest concerns for administrators, teachers, parents, and local government officials.
UV Sterilization
UV-C light has been introduced as a way to sterilize spaces where SARS-CoV-2 may be present in the air and on surfaces such as public trains and hospitals.