TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Budi Haryanto, a public health expert from the University of Indonesia (UI), said the COVID-19 coronavirus spread through droplets of sneezes and coughs of an infected individual.

He added there had been no confirmed research thus far showing the COVID-19 was an airborne disease.

“It has not been confirmed yet [the airborne spread]. So they are found in places contaminated with sputum or droplets,” Budi told Tempo on Monday, March 2, 2020.

Budi said the virus in the droplets could enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. There has been no report yet if the virus can enter the body through other skin surfaces, he added.

Thus, Budi called on the public to stay vigilant in their interactions with others and pay attention to their environmental hygiene. Those with COVID-19 symptoms should always wear respirator masks and keep away from others when sneezing or coughing, he said.

He added healthy individuals must also avert contact with COVID-19 suspects and wash their hands immediately with soap in case of involuntary contact with droplets and avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Budi also advised the public to wash their hands regularly with soap or hand sanitizers.

“Immediately wash your hands after touching stair or escalator railings, because many are touching those as well. It’s best to avoid this kind of contact,” the professor of environmental health of the UI Public Health Faculty said.

Budiarti Utami Putri | Galuh Kurnia Ramadhani (Intern Translator)