As the United States nears 200,000 deaths from COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines to add breathing to the most common ways the coronavirus is spread by an infected person.
The U.S. has nearly 6.8 million cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University data late Sunday. An update Friday to the CDC website says there is growing evidence that small airborne coronavirus particles are produced when someone coughs, sneezes, sings, talks or breathes and can remain in the air to be breathed in by others, allowing an infection.
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"These particles can be inhaled into the nose, mouth, airways, and lungs and cause infection. This is thought to be the main way the virus spreads,"
the CDC website says.
They can also travel farther than 6 feet, for example when someone sings or exercises. There is also updated information from the CDC about how to protect yourself. The CDC's advice has been to stay 2 meters away from someone, wash your hands and disinfect surfaces often, and wear a face mask.
Now the CDC adds that people who are sick should stay home and isolate themselves and "use air purifiers to help reduce airborne germs in indoor spaces," according to the CDC site.