How is Covid-19 spread?

New workplace guidance published by the BEIS business and DCMS digital, culture, media and sport departments, Working safely during Coronavirus (Covid-19) is available on the government website’s Coronavirus (Covid-19) pages (see pages 21-28), explains that the main way Covid-19 is spread is through close contact with an infected person. When someone with Covid-19 breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they release droplets and aerosols containing the virus that causes Covid-19. These particles can be breathed in by another person. Surfaces and belongings can also be contaminated when people who are infected cough or sneeze near or touch them.

TUC advice is as follows: “The main way the virus spreads is airborne transmission — i.e. breathing in the air of an infected person. Another way is contamination from viral droplets, when someone carrying the virus coughs or sneezes. Both aerosol and viral droplets can travel up to six metres, making person-to-person transmission particularly likely.” Covid-19 Coronavirus — Guidance for unions (updated 04 Jan 2021) is available on the TUC website.