It’s flu season. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducts research on protecting health care providers and other workers from infectious diseases including influenza. A significant portion of our research deals with understanding how the influenza virus is transmitted. Influenza is known to be transmitted through respiratory secretions containing the virus. Airborne transmission of influenza by small aerosol droplets over longer distances is debated in the literature. Coughing, sneezing, speaking and breathing all generate potentially infectious aerosols (small airborne particles). Several studies suggest small aerosol particles can carry influenza virus, but how important is this route of
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