资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

With the rapidly evolving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, researchers are racing to find answers to critical questions about the virus that causes the disease severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Understanding how the virus is transmitted is among the most important questions, as it will inform efforts to stop its spread. For example, can the virus be transmitted via speech and exhaled breath? How long can aerosols containing the virus linger in the air? How far can these aerosols travel? Is the amount of virus in these aerosols enough to cause infection? These questions and more were the subject of an August 26–27, 2020, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine virtual workshop that convened experts in aerosol science and atmospheric chemistry, building engineering, epidemiology, environmental health, infectious disease, pulmonary medicine, public health, and virology to explore the evidence on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.