- Home
- Current Affairs
- Current News
- WHO Introduces 'Infectious Respiratory Particles' Term for Airborne Pathogens
WHO Introduces 'Infectious Respiratory Particles' Term for Airborne Pathogens
- 22 Apr 2024
On 18th April 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the term 'Infectious Respiratory Particles' (IRPs) to describe pathogens like COVID-19, ending terminology confusion.
Key Points
- Terminology Challenge Addressed: The WHO resolves the lack of common terminology for airborne pathogen transmission with the introduction of 'Infectious Respiratory Particles' (IRPs).
- Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for standardized terminology, facilitating scientific and policy guidance amidst varying terminologies.
- Description of IRPs: IRPs include pathogens causing respiratory infections such as COVID-19, influenza, measles, MERS, SARS, and TB, emitted through breathing, talking, coughing, or sneezing.
- Continuous Spectrum of Sizes: IRPs exist on a spectrum of sizes, eliminating the dichotomy of 'aerosols' and 'droplets', allowing for a more nuanced understanding of airborne transmission.
- Global Technical Consultation Report: The WHO publishes a report on proposed terminology for airborne pathogens, reflecting consensus among major public health agencies and experts.
- Implementation Implications: The next steps involve further research and exploration of implementation implications of the updated descriptors for global health interventions.
State In News
State In News
State In News
- Andhra Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Assam
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Delhi
- Goa
- Gujarat
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu And Kashmir
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Kerala
- Ladakh
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Odisha
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Tamil Nadu
- Telangana
- Tripura
- Uttar Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- West Bengal