The delta strain of coronavirus is more easily transmitted by airborne droplets, so social distance, indoor ventilation, air disinfection and protective masks still play an important role when it comes to preventive measures.
“It is important to understand that a lower viral load is needed to infect a person, small droplets spread further,” said Kamil Hafizov, an epidemiologist at Rospotrebnadzor, who heads a scientific group on the development of new methods for diagnosing human diseases.
Earlier it was reported that new mutations of SARS-CoV-2 can be more easily transmitted by airborne droplets. American scientists have proved during experiments that only the smallest aerosols (particles less than 5 microns in size) infect hamsters at a distance of two meters, and relatively large drops do not reach.
At the same time, it is emphasized that viral load plays an important role in the spread of the delta strain. “A lower dose of this gene variant may be sufficient for transmission, including due to better penetration of the virus into the cell,” Khafizov stressed (quoted by TASS).
