Prevention and Control of Influenza during a Pandemic for All Healthcare Settings
Exposure to Particles Develped by the ANNEX F Working Group, 2008
Figure 2 illustrates the continuum of infectious agent exposure that may impact a susceptible host when touching an infected source or a contaminated environment.
Particles transferred from animate/inanimate objects are considered direct or indirect contact exposure.
Particles transferred through the air (e.g., Aerosols) are primarily considered:
- Droplet exposure if the particle size is:
- 50-100 µm – face to face range (≤ 2 metres)
- 10-50 µm – range from face to face to within the room (overlaps with Airborne – see 2.a. below)
- Airborne exposure if the particle size is:
- 10-50 µm – range from face to within the room (overlaps with Droplets see 1.b. above)
- < 10 µm – range from face to face to beyond the room
The overlapping region with particles from 10-50 µm may constitute either droplet or airborne exposure on the circumstances of the source, host and environment.
Return to Figure 2