Viruses can spread in two main ways: through the air and by direct contact. Knowing how they spread helps us understand patterns of illness and how to keep people healthy.
Key Differences
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How They Spread:
- Airborne Transmission: This happens when tiny droplets from our breath get into the air. These droplets are really small—less than 5 micrometers wide. They can float in the air for a long time. Some common viruses that spread this way are Measles and Influenza.
- Contact Transmission: This happens when someone touches a surface or object that has the virus on it, and then touches their mouth, nose, or eyes. Viruses like Norovirus and Rhinovirus mainly spread this way.
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Distance:
- Airborne: Viruses can travel more than 1 meter in the air. Sometimes, they can even go up to 10 meters!
- Contact: This type usually spreads over short distances. It often needs direct touching of someone or something that is contaminated.
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Where It Happens:
- Airborne: This is more likely to occur in crowded places with bad air flow, like closed rooms.
- Contact: This is often seen in shared spaces, like schools or hospitals, where people frequently touch the same surfaces.
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Ways to Prevent Spread:
- Airborne: To stop this, we can improve ventilation, wear masks, and use air filters.
- Contact: Here, it’s important to wash hands often, clean surfaces, and limit sharing objects.
Important Facts
- About 60% of disease outbreaks in communities are caused by viruses that spread through contact.
- Airborne viruses cause around 30% of respiratory infections in crowded areas.
Knowing how these different types of virus transmission work is very important. It helps us come up with better ways to control infections, especially during outbreaks.