The PGI-Chandigarh on Monday said with the prevailing low humidity promotes evaporation of viral particles and aerosol formations, the country may witness an increase in the airborne spread of the Covid-19.
“With the Covid positive numbers consistently rising for the past one week, it is high time that we guard up and follow Covid protocols without any lackadaisical approach,” Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Director Jagat Ram said.
“There are chances of a spike in cases again in view of the onset of festival season, upcoming winters and fast-increasing pollution levels,” he cautioned.
“On the basis of studies on other respiratory viruses like SARS, influenza, etc, which show seasonal variance with cases spiking in winters, there is a possibility that the coronavirus infections might also rise in the coming months.
“Furthermore, low humidity promotes evaporation of viral particles and aerosol formations, which can increase the airborne spread of disease.”
About how the high levels of pollution might factor in the surging numbers, Ram explained pollution levels rise in winters as the cold air is dense and moves sluggishly.