There is no way the coronavirus can be transmitted through aerosols

The information that scientists in Shanghai, China said that nCoV can be transmitted through "dust" is a translation error. In fact, nCoV is not transmitted through the air.

That is the affirmation of Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases - Neurology, Children's Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Dr. Khanh said that "Aerosol" in this context is not 'dust and gas' as some newspapers have translated, but it is a common treatment for respiratory infections in hospitals: Aerosol.

At the same time, Mr. Khanh warned that in the treatment of infectious diseases such as nCoV, aerosol inhalation is a method that can easily spread and cause secondary infections that can lead to death.

"Coronavirus does not spread through the air, but is contained in the body fluids of the infected person when coughing, sneezing, or talking ," Dr. Khanh affirmed.

Nebulization is a method of using a machine to diffuse medicine in the form of mist, affecting the upper or lower respiratory tract mucosal system. This is a local treatment method for diseases of the respiratory tract mucosa such as laryngitis, rhinopharyngitis, tracheobronchitis, sinusitis, etc.

Doctor Truong Huu Khanh, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Neurology, Children's Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the information that Shanghai scientists said that nCoV is transmitted through "dust" may be a translation error. (Photo: VTC News).

In response to information that nCoV can be transmitted through aerosol, a treatment method often applied to young children, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Minh Dien - Deputy Director of the National Children's Hospital (Hanoi) - said that if one person uses an aerosol alone, it is fine, but if two people use it together, they will be infected.

On the other hand, if the aerosol in the patient's room is at a distance of 2 meters or less, the disease will spread because the virus from the patient's respiratory tract will be released through the aerosol.

Sharing the same opinion, Master, Doctor Nguyen Tran Nam, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, City Children's Hospital (HCMC), said that in the treatment of respiratory diseases, in some cases, medical staff will prescribe aerosol inhalation for patients.

"Many people may be mistranslating the word Aerosol as dust, but it is actually aerosol ," Dr. Nam affirmed.

According to Dr. Nam, dust is the air in the environment . As for aerosol, medical staff will put water and medicine into the patient's airways. When steaming, the medicine in the form of mist created by the machine will stick to the respiratory tract mucosa and directly affect the infected areas. When the patient coughs, sneezes. it can increase the concentration of fluids released into the environment, increasing the risk of infection.

For people with respiratory infectious diseases, the use of aerosols must be extremely careful to avoid spreading the virus into the outside environment. When deciding to use aerosols, medical staff must wear protective gear to prevent infection.

Dr. Nam said that medical facilities should carefully exploit the epidemiology and check whether the patient has a respiratory infectious disease or not. In addition, not all cases are indicated for aerosols, but must be strict in technical issues, surface hygiene and protective equipment if aerosols are indicated for respiratory infectious diseases.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Minh Dien also recommends limiting aerosols, unless prescribed by a doctor. When using aerosols, technical procedures for infection control must be followed.

"The virus will still exist in the aerosol, machines and surfaces around the patient, with the risk of infection through surface contact. Medical staff performing this procedure on patients are also at risk of infection if they do not strictly follow infection control technical procedures," said Associate Professor Dien.