COVID-19 is most commonly spread through the air, updated CDC guidance says

-- PURIFIERS HELP STOP HOUSEHOLD SPREAD. EXPERTS SAY THEY CAN BE A USEFUL TOOL BUT ONLY IF THEY’RE USED CORRECTLY. >> PORTABLE AIR CLEANERS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF CAPTURING PARTICLES IN THE AIR. >> JOSEPH ALLEN RUNS THE HEALTHY BUILDINGS PROGRAM AND TEACHES AT HARVARD’S T.H. CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. BEN: HE’S AN EXPERT IN AIR FLOW IN BUILDINGS AND SAYS PORTABLE AIR PURIFIERS CAN BE A TRIED AND TRUE TOOL. >> THERE’S A DEEP EVIDENCE BASE THAT THESE CAN BE REALLY EFFECTIVE AT CLEANING PARTICLES OUT OF THE AIR, BE IT FROM OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION OR THOSE WE EMIT AS WE TALK SING OR JUST BREATHE. >> BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT AIR PURIFIERS ARE NOT A CATCH ALL. LITERALLY. THEY WON’T CATCH EVERY PARTICLE IN THE AIR. AND THE CDC RECOMMENDS THEIR USE WITH OTHER MITIGATION STRATEGIES. ALLEN SAYS FIRST YOU SHOULD LET OUTDOOR AIR IN BY CRACKING WINDOWS. CHECK FILTERS ON YOUR CENTRAL HEATING AND THEN CONSIDER A PORTABLE AIR PURIFIER. >> YOU WANT TO PRIORITIZE MORE OUTDOOR AIR, BETTER VENTILATION, BETTER FILTERS ON THE RECIRCULATED AIR. IF THAT IS NOT ENOUGH, YOU CAN TAKE ABOUT THESE PORTABLE AIR CLEANERS AS A SUPPLEMENT OF STRATEGY. >> IF YOU’RE BUYING ONE FOR THE HOME ALLEN SAYS YOU CAN SKIP THE U.V. OR ION TECHNOLOGIES. >> IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BREAK THE BANK. YOU’RE JUST LOOKING FOR SOME BASICS HERE. YOU DON’T NEED ANY FANCY BELLS AND WHISTLES. >> ALLEN RECOMMENDS GOING WITH A HEPA FILTER AND LOOK CLOSELY FOR THE C ADR NUMBER, THAT IS THE CLEAN AIR DELIVERY RATE. YOU WANT A RATE OF 350 FOR AN AIR PURIFIER TO COVER 500 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE. IT CAN BE LOWER IN SMALLER ROOMS. FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDED SQUARE FOOTAGE IS IMPORTANT FOR PURIFIERS TO WORK EFFECTIVELY. >> HOW EFFECTIVE THESE ARE ARE GOING TO DEPEND ON IF IT’S SIZED RIGHT FOR THE SIZE OF THE ROOM IF YOU BUY A SMALL PORTABLE AIR CLEANER AND PUT IT IN A LARGE GYMNASIUM, THAT IS NOT GOING TO DO MUCH. IN YOUR HOME, THEY CAN BE QUITE EFFECTIVE IF YOU SIZE IT RIGHT FOR YOUR BEDROOM OR LIVING ROOM. >> IT’S ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO CHECK THE REPLACEMENT FILTER COST BEFORE YOU BUY BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT TO CHANGE THE FILTERS WHEN RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. SOME FILTERS COME WITH A

In its latest guidance on how COVID-19 is spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says airborne transmission is most common.In bold print, the CDC website says "the principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is through exposure to respiratory fluids carrying infectious virus." "Although how we understand transmission occurs has shifted, the ways to prevent infection with this virus have not," CDC officials wrote.The CDC lists three main ways someone can become infected with COVID-19:• Breathing in when close to an infected person who is exhaling small droplets and particles that contain the coronavirus;• Having the droplets and particles that contain coronavirus land on the eyes, nose, or mouth — especially through splashes and sprays like a cough or sneeze.• Touching eyes, nose, or mouth with hands that have the coronavirus on them.To best protect yourself, the CDC suggests getting a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can, wearing a mask, staying 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds and avoiding poorly ventilated indoor spaces. In October, the CDC updated its guidance to say that airborne transmission of COVID-19 was possible, specifically in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. The guidance change came after the CDC had initially posted about possible airborne transmission and then removed the information from its website.

In its latest guidance on how COVID-19 is spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says airborne transmission is most common.

In bold print, the says "the principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is through exposure to respiratory fluids carrying infectious virus."

"Although how we understand transmission occurs has shifted, the ways to prevent infection with this virus have not," CDC officials wrote.

The CDC lists three main ways someone can become infected with COVID-19:

• Breathing in when close to an infected person who is exhaling small droplets and particles that contain the coronavirus;

• Having the droplets and particles that contain coronavirus land on the eyes, nose, or mouth — especially through splashes and sprays like a cough or sneeze.

• Touching eyes, nose, or mouth with hands that have the coronavirus on them.

To best protect yourself, the CDC suggests getting a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can, wearing a mask, staying 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds and avoiding poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

In October, the CDC updated its guidance to say that airborne transmission of COVID-19 was possible, specifically in poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

The guidance change came after the CDC had initially posted about possible airborne transmission and then removed the information from its website.

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