#covidisairborne: produção e circulação de evidências sobre a transmissão da covid-19 / #covidsairborne: production and circulation of evidence on covid-19 transmission

Esta tese investiga a produção e circulação de evidências científicas sobre a transmissão do SARS-CoV-2, com ênfase no debate científico em torno da transmissão viral por aerossóis e a implicação de diferentes entendimentos nas práticas de prevenção adotadas ao redor do mundo. De cunho etnográfico, a pesquisa foi conduzida a partir da hashtag #covidisairborne, de importante repercussão entre cientistas e ativistas na rede social Twitter, e analisou diversos materiais digitais como artigos científicos, entrevistas, newsletters e tuítes publicados sobre o tema na rede conforme circulavam no campo, além de acompanhar o trabalho de um laboratório de pesquisa em aerossóis. A chegada da covid teria intensificado a disputa em torno das formas de transmissão viral, transformando-a em questão pública com repercussão nas práticas de proteção disseminadas durante a pandemia. Diante das evidências científicas relacionadas à transmissão, os fatos científicos se apresentam de forma contextual e implicada em distintos discursos e intenções para a condução da crise sanitária. A pandemia de covid teria acelerado o reconhecimento da qualidade do ar interno como um problema de saúde pública que chama a atenção para o ar que respiramos, e as estratégias para a mitigação dos riscos associados ao "novo normal" precisam ser informadas por princípios de justiça social e direito à saúde. (AU)

This work investigates the production and circulation of scientific evidence on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, with an emphasis on the scientific debate surrounding aerosol viral transmission and the implications of different understandings in prevention practices adopted around the world. Ethnographically driven, the research was conducted from the hashtag #covidisairborne, which had significant repercussion among scientists and activists on the social media platform Twitter, and analyzed various digital materials such as scientific articles, interviews, newsletters, and tweets published on the network as they circulated in the field, as well as following the work of an aerosol research laboratory. The advent of covid is said to have intensified the dispute over the modes of viral transmission, turning it into a public issue with repercussions on the disease prevention practices disseminated during the pandemic. In the face of scientific evidence related to transmission, scientific facts present themselves in a contextual manner and are implicated in different discourses and intentions for managing the health crisis. The covid pandemic is said to have accelerated the recognition of indoor air quality as a public health issue that draws attention to the air we breathe, and strategies for mitigating risks associated with the "new normal" need to be informed by principles of social justice and the right to health. (AU)

Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 through asymptomatic carriers and aerosols: A major public health challenge

Abstract In the absence of vaccines and effective antiviral drugs, control of the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) relies mainly on the adequacy of public health resources and policies. Hence, failure to establish and implement scientifically reliable control measures may have a significant effect on the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, severity of the disease, and death toll. The average number of secondary transmissions from an infected person, or reproduction numbers (R0 and R), and the points at which the collective immunity begins to reduce the transmission of the infection, or herd immunity thresholds, are important epidemiological tools used in strategies of Covid-19 control, suppression, and mitigation. However, SARS-CoV-2 transmission through asymptomatic carriers and, possibly, aerosols, has been ignored, and this may affect the effectiveness of Covid-19 control strategies. Therefore, consideration of the two possible ways of transmission would substantially increase the values of reproduction numbers, but if estimates of the contingent of the population naturally resistant to the virus, plus those with pre-existing cross-immunity to SARS-CoV-2 were considered, the evaluation of herd immunity thresholds should reach their real and achievable levels.

Prevalence and control of human diseases caused by Beta Coronavirus / 上海预防医学

Beta coronaviruses (β-CoVs) can infect human and a variety of animals, causing respiratory, intestinal, liver and nervous system diseases of the hosts.Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by coronavirus in 32 countries and regions in 2002, there have been Middle East respiratory syndrome and human coronavirus HKU1 pneumonia caused by other viruses of this genus.β-CoVs pose a continuous threat to human health with its high transmission efficiency, serious infection consequences and uncertain epidemic outbreaks.Hereby, the epidemic history, virus sources and transmission modes of β-CoVs, as well as the detection and monitoring methods for the virus are reviewed in the paper to provide ideas and measures for better control of human diseases caused by β-CoVs.

Prevalence and control of human diseases caused by Beta Coronavirus / 上海预防医学

Beta coronaviruses (β-CoVs) can infect human and a variety of animals, causing respiratory, intestinal, liver and nervous system diseases of the hosts.Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by coronavirus in 32 countries and regions in 2002, there have been Middle East respiratory syndrome and human coronavirus HKU1 pneumonia caused by other viruses of this genus.β-CoVs pose a continuous threat to human health with its high transmission efficiency, serious infection consequences and uncertain epidemic outbreaks.Hereby, the epidemic history, virus sources and transmission modes of β-CoVs, as well as the detection and monitoring methods for the virus are reviewed in the paper to provide ideas and measures for better control of human diseases caused by β-CoVs.