The Expert Committee formed under the Ministry of Civil Aviation told to the Bombay High Court regarding the transmission of COVID-19, that the virus could be transmitted by touch only under certain specific circumstance.
Clarification by the Committee due to the COVID-19 was made that contact with the mouth or nose may heighten the chances of transmission. However, an inverting touch to another part of the body or clothing by itself would not transmit the virus.
The Committee also stated that,
“COVID-19 virus can be transmitted by touch only under certain circumstances. For example, lf a surface, like clothes, is infected with Covid-19 virus {such infection will take place when the droplets from the mouth or nose- sneezing or coughing- of an infected person sit on such a surface) and a non-infected person touches it and then touches his mouth or nose, then there are chances that the second person may get infected.”
“..if an infected person merely touches a non-infected person the virus will not be transmitted unless the conditions mentioned above are fulfilled “added the Committee .
Need of a person to disinfect his hands regularly amid the pandemic was also pointed.
The risk of COVID-19 transmission would minimised if all passengers wear protective gowns and masks to curb its spread and insulate themselves from contracting the disease from an infected person, asserted the five-member committee.
It also stated that the gown would provide a necessary shield in case of an inadvertent touch between an infected and a non-infected person.
The reply stated, “lt is mandatory that the prescribed protocol for putting on the gown and its removal is strictly followed and necessities of wearing a mask and a protective face shieldshould be ensured.
On 4TH June, the Court had sought clarification from an Expert Committee, as to whether the mere touch of a person carrying COVID-19 virus could be transmitted to a person so touched or not.
Also, Response to a plea claiming that the airline violated DGCA guidelines requiring that a vacant flight seat should be maintained between two passengers, as a social distancing measure to guard against COVID-19, was asked by the High Court to Air India, the previous month.
So, under the Chairmanship of the Secretary of Civil Aviation Ministry an Expert Committee was subsequently formed, to review these protocols in the interest of public health and safety.
Read the reply here:
