Airborne disease can spread when people with certain infections cough, sneeze, or talk, spewing nasal and throat secretions into the air. Some viruses or bacteria take flight and hang in the air or land on other people or surfaces.

When you breathe in airborne pathogenic organisms, they take up residence inside you. You can also pick up germs when you touch a surface that harbors them, and then touch your own eyes, nose, or mouth.

Because these diseases travel in the air, they’re hard to control. Keep reading to learn more about the common types of airborne diseases and what you can do to protect yourself from catching them.

Coronavirus and COVID-19

The CDC recommendsTrusted Source that all people wear cloth face masks in public places where it’s difficult to maintain a 6-foot distance from others. This will help slow the spread of the virus from people without symptoms or people who do not know they have contracted the virus. Cloth face masks should be worn while continuing to practice physical distancing. Instructions for making masks at home can be found here Trusted Source.
Note: It’s critical to reserve surgical masks and N95 respirators for healthcare workers.

A rapidly spreading coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and the disease it causes, COVID-19, has been responsible for millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths globally in 2020. Information on coronavirus and COVID-19 is constantly being updated as a result.

While the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is not generally considered to be airborne, there may be some situationsTrusted Source in which the virus can act like an airborne disease. These include certain clinical settings in which people are receiving intensive medical treatment. In usual situations, SARS-CoV-2 is spread through respiratory droplets after a person coughs or sneezes, but these droplets are larger than what is considered airborne.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath. If you experience these symptoms, see a doctor immediately.

• Common cold
• Influenza
• Mumps
• Chicken pox
• Measles
• Tuberculosis
• Whooping cough
• Diptheria

Media Contact:

Allison Grey
Journal Manager
Journal of Infectious Diseases and Diagnosis
Email: jidd@microbialjournals.com