Question : Air Transmission of SARS-COV-2

(a) whether the scientists of the CSIR have claimed that the virus can travel up to 10 metres riding on aerosols;
(b) if so, whether the Government has any report on air transmission characteristics of SARS-COV-2 and risks for health care personnel and visitors to hospitals therefor;
(c) whether it is also a fact that a survey suggested that the neutralising antibodies declined significantly after five-six months, making people prone to reinfections thereof; and
(d) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a)&(b) Yes. The study conducted by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) indicates that the coronavirus could be detected up to 10 feet (3.048 meters) distance in the air around an infected individual. However, with directional air flow, the possibility of virus riding on aerosols to long distance cannot be denied. CSIR has not experimentally validated or claimed the distance of 10 meters. Additionally, as a precautionary measure, wearing mask can help in significantly reducing the risk of catching the infection through air. The results of the CSIR study have been posted on a pre-print server.

(c)&(d) Yes. The decline of 20-30% immunity in about 6 months refers to a study in CSIR cohort where scientists looked at loss of neutralization activity using a surrogate assay in serially followed seropositive people. Such data cannot be taken directly into clinical applications.

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