On Monday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) abruptly deleted information from its official website that it had updated on how COVID-19 spread.
On Friday, the agency had updated information on COVID-19 spread and had acknowledged the prominence of aerosol transmission.
The deleted update had added coronavirus is spread “through respiratory droplets or small particles, such as those in aerosols, produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes. 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.”
However, the agency’s new information still says that the virus is commonly spread between people who are within 6 feet of each other.
CDC’s spokesperson Jasmine Reed told Medscape Medical News, “A draft version of proposed changes to these recommendations was posted in error to the agency’s official website. CDC is currently updating its recommendations regarding the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). Once this process has been completed, the updated language will be posted.”
Previously, the federal agency said, “COVID-19 is spread mainly among people who are within about 6 feet of each another through respiratory droplets propelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.”
Previous guidance also said, “These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.”
The now-deleted CDC update said, “There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others, and travel distances beyond 6 feet (for example, during choir practice, in restaurants, or in fitness classes).”
In July, Clinical Infectious Diseases published a paper called “It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019,” which was supported by nearly 240 experts.
The authors wrote, “There is significant potential for inhalation exposure to viruses in microscopic respiratory droplets (microdroplets) at short to medium distances (up to several meters, or room-scale).”
The CDC updated new guidelines on Friday without any announcement.
Dr. Leana Wen of George Washington University said, “This has been one of the problems all along. The guidance from CDC changes on their website, but there’s no press conference, there’s no explanation of why they’re changing this now.”
On Monday, once again, the CDC did not make any announcement about the change in the guidelines.
The CDC update had added, “Use air purifiers to help reduce airborne germs in indoor spaces.” The agency continues to advise staying 6 feet from others, washing hands regularly, wearing a facemask, and disinfecting touched surfaces regularly.
