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Local expert confirms H1N1 an airborne virus
660 News Staff | Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 11:37 am
With all the publicity surrounding the flu pandemic, many people are still confused about exactly how the virus spreads.
An expert in microbiology and infectious disease at the University of Calgary says contrary to what some are saying, H1N1 is an airborne virus.
Dr. Glen Armstrong told 660News it's one of the reasons the flu spreads so quickly.
Dr. Armstrong says when a person has the flu, their body will try to shed it through sneezing or coughing. He says that releases the germs into the air for a short period of time, but long enough for someone close by to inhale them.
Dr. Armstrong says when those sneeze droplets settle they can also live on a surface for as long as a half hour, and can then be transmitted to another person by contact. He says touching your mouth, nose or eye area after coming in contact with the virus on a surface is the most common form of virus transmission.