All articles tagged with #airborne diseases
A study published in Science found that fears of a rebound in infectious diseases after COVID-19 lockdowns were largely unfounded, with airborne diseases like influenza slightly increasing but not offsetting the overall decline during the pandemic, and sexually transmitted infections remaining low post-pandemic, highlighting the complex effects of public health measures.
The World Health Organization and 500 experts have reached a landmark agreement on the definition of airborne diseases, aiming to prevent confusion similar to that experienced during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The consensus, outlined in a technical document, marks a significant step toward improving prevention of diseases transmitted through the air. The new definition moves away from past disagreements over whether infectious particles were "droplets" or "aerosols" based on size and emphasizes considering the risk of exposure and severity of disease. This agreement is expected to facilitate discussions on issues such as ventilation in various settings and improve preparedness for future pandemic threats.
The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has broadened its classification of how pathogens spread through the air, updating its formal guidelines for classifying the ways that diseases spread. The new report suggests broader categories that do not rely on droplet size or distance spread, potentially leading to more diseases demanding costly control measures. This change comes after a drawn-out global controversy over the classification of Covid-19 as an airborne disease, with the W.H.O. finally acknowledging it in late 2021.