Experts have said that the virus causing COVID-19 doesn’t spread through the air. Rather through relatively large droplets that are released when people cough or sneeze or talk. That is until now. Immunology experts say that droplets containing the COVID-19 virus contaminate surfaces or objects, infecting people who touch the surface then their faces. In response to a request from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a standing committee of experts. They were asked to help inform OSTP on critical science. Along with policy issues related to emerging infectious diseases and other public health threats. The standing committee includes members with expertise in the following fields; emerging infectious diseases, public health, preparedness and response, biological sciences, clinical care and crisis standards of care, risk communication, and regulatory issues. This expert panel sent a letter to White House Science Advisor, Kelvin Droegemeier, saying COVID-19 might be spreading through an exhaled breath. If the virus is airborne, that could help explain why it is so contagious. It could also be one of the reasons these experts think COVID can spread before people have symptoms. As of April 2, more than one million people worldwide have been confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19. Nearly a quarter of these cases are in the United States, according to tracking by Johns Hopkins University. More than 50,000 people have died worldwide, including more than 5,600 in the United States. You can learn more about this news update here and the study conducted here.