4 common ways COVID-19 spreads

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of six different ways the novel coronavirus most commonly spreads between people.

• The CDC created the list in October 2020.

What’s going on?

The CDC said the coronavirus can spread in a variety of ways. One case isn’t like the other. But the virus continues to spread easier than influenza but not as quickly as measles.

• A new COVID-19 variant originally discovered in the UK is believed to be more transmissible.

The 4 common ways of spread

The CDC has outlined four different ways the novel coronavirus can spread from person-to-person, many of which hit on the public health guidelines we’ve outlined before. Here’s a breakdown of the list.

1. When people get physically close to someone with COVID-19 or who are at risk for greater infection.
2. When people with COVID-19 cough, sneeze, sing or talk they produce respiratory droplets, which can range in size. These droplets can spread the virus.
3. Exposure to respiratory droplets when someone is in close contact with someone who has COVID-19;
4. When respiratory droplets are inhaled or deposited on mucous membranes.

One extra note

The CDC outlined that the respiratory droplets decrease in size as they travel farther away from the person with COVID-19. Smaller droplets fall apart in the air. Large droplets hit the ground.

• “With passing time, the amount of infectious virus in respiratory droplets also decreases,” the CDC said.