In a new article, scientists provide an exhaustive, evidence-based review of how COVID-19 droplets from infected patients spread through the air and describe how health care professionals can protect themselves. This Pulmonary Perspective is published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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In “Coughs and Sneezes:  Their Role in Transmission of Respiratory Viral Infections, Including SARS-CoV-2,” Rajiv Dhand, MD, professor and chair, Department of Medicine and associate dean of clinical affairs, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, along with Jie Li, PhD, RRT, associate professor, Department of Cardiopulmonary Services, Division of Respiratory Care, Rush University Medical Center, describe the various types and sizes of virus-containing droplets present in sneezes and coughs, the locations in the respiratory systems where they deposit, and how certain medical procedures and devices may spread these droplets and the risks for health care professionals. 

“The apprehension about the use of aerosolized therapies in COVID-19 patients relates to their potential to spread infectious aerosols,” said Dr. Dhand. “Our recommendations offer a balanced, scientific perspective on the use of such aerosolized therapies in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.”