Emmanuel Macron during an exchange with students at the Maison des Etudiants of the University of Paris Saclay, January 21. – Romain GAILLARD / POOL / SIPA
- Invited from France Inter Thursday morning, the epidemiologist Didier Pittet explained that “two thirds of transmissions [du coronavirus] pass through the hands ”.
- According to the WHO, the virus is spread “mainly through close contact with an infected person”.
- “The risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is increased in confined spaces, inadequately ventilated, with a high density of occupants and when the duration of exposure is prolonged”, underline scientists from Quebec.
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How is the Covid-19 virus transmitted? While knowledge on this subject continues to evolve, epidemiologist Didier Pittet
advanced Thursday that “two thirds of transmissions go through the hands. “Invited by France Inter, the scientist, one of the inventors of the hydroalcoholic gel formula that he gave to the WHO, was questioned about the possible occurrence of a third wave in March.
Didier Pittet did not specify whether he was thinking of direct transmission – by handshakes for example – or by contact with surfaces contaminated by the virus.
A statement that made other doctors react.
Cher @DidierPittet , with all due respect for your work and what you have contributed, if 2/3 of the transmissions of covid were to pass through the hands, the epidemic would have been resolved with a little Dove soap and hydroalcoholic gel. Please correct or clarify your comments. https://t.co/47xciAQJjE
— Dr Jimmy Mohamed ⭐️⭐️ (@Dr_moji) February 18, 2021
FAKE OFF
The National Institute of Public Health of Quebec got interested in December 2020 to the transmission of SARS Cov-2. After a review of several studies, some of which have not been peer-reviewed, the authors of this report conclude that this virus “is transmitted mainly during close contact between people, less than 2 meters away, and extended for more than 15 minutes ”.
The Quebec scientists emphasize that “the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is increased in confined spaces, inadequately ventilated, with a high density of occupants and when the duration of exposure is prolonged”.
Transmission beyond two meters “could occur”, say the scientists. “The maximum distance remains imprecise, but it is unlikely that it will be beyond a few meters.”
WHO speaks of “close contact with an infected person”
A position close to that of the WHO, which had been criticized last year for its slowness in recognizing droplet transmission. The international organization precise, in a note last updated in October, that the virus is spread “primarily through close contact with an infected person.”
“The virus can be spread when small liquid particles are expelled through the mouth or nose when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks, sings or breathes deeply,” explains the international organization. You can also contract COVID-19 when the virus enters the mouth, nose or eyes, a situation more likely when people are in direct or close contact (less than a meter away) with an infected person ”.
What about the risk of transmission from a surface with the virus? The National Institute of Public Health of Quebec is cautious. “Under real-life conditions, situations where surfaces are contaminated with viruses in sufficient quantity to represent a risk of transmission could be very rare”, write these scientists. However, “this transmission route remains plausible near people who are contagious and the risk could vary according to disinfection practices, hygiene, compliance with sanitary measures and the clinical presentation of the infected person”, they qualify.
Their authors therefore recommend continuing to apply barrier gestures: washing hands with the correct gestures, wearing a mask, ventilation, physical distancing and limiting contact.
The WHO, it is more affirmative on the risk of transmission by contaminated surfaces. […] be infected with the virus if you touch these contaminated surfaces and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands ”.
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