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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now acknowledged on its website that COVID-19 can be spread by airborne transmission. In an update Monday to its website detailing how the coronavirus can be transmitted, the CDC now says coronavirus droplets can remain in the air for hours.

“Some infections can be spread by exposure to virus in small droplets and particles that can linger in the air for minutes to hours. These viruses may be able to infect people who are further than 6 feet away from the person who is infected or after that person has left the space,” the CDC website says.

“This kind of spread is referred to as airborne transmission and is an important way that infections like tuberculosis, measles, and chicken pox are spread.”

While the CDC still says the primary way COVID-19 is spread is through close contact with someone who is already infected, airborne transmission can infect people who are more than six feet away from an infected person while in an enclosed area without adequate ventilation. Sometimes these cases have been caused when the infected person was breathing more heavily, like when exercising or singing.

Read more: Coronavirus symptoms: The full list, according to the CDC

According to the Washington Post, this guidance had been previously pulled by the CDC after it posted a draft version of those airborne transmission guidelines in error.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.