Researchers affirm airborne spread of COVID-19

Editor's Note

In this study, Canadian researchers succeeded in isolating infectious particles of the COVID-19 virus from air samples collected from hospital rooms.

A total of 30 samples were collected from 10 different rooms of patients with COVID-19 and then frozen in a biobank for 14 months.

The researchers were able to identify the presence of replicating virus particles using a cell culture approach to increase minute amounts of virus, which required a Level 3 containment laboratory.

The research offers understanding into the airborne spread of the COVID-19 virus, which has received limited examination since the onset of the pandemic, the authors say. The collection and culture technique also can be adapted to other enclosed settings, like schools, to assess air quality and protective measures against the airborne transmission of viruses.