Abstract
The rapid advance of the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020 has spurred researchers to try to understand quickly the behavior of the virus and the disease, and to propose solutions in order to attempt containing it as soon as possible. One of the core questions to be answered is whether the virus can also be transmitted by aerosols, since the mode of transmission determines the speed and conditions under which the disease can spread through the population. The search for this answer has rekindled a decades-long discussion about the relevance of this transmission route, as well as the different concepts and control and prevention measures currently used to block the transmission of infectious diseases in human healthcare. This essay aims to contribute to this debate and, more specifically, to support programs for the protection of workers and patients in healthcare services regarding COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Keywords:
infectious diseases; infectious disease transmission; infection control; COVID-19; occupational health