Transmission Routes of Respiratory Viruses: Understanding the Role of Shedding and Infectious Doses, Dispelling Myths and Exploring Knowledge Gaps Where an Evidence-Base Does Exist

Global pandemics and seasonal epidemics have significant economic and health impacts, yet there remain contradictory views on transmission routes and gaps in the evidence-based knowledge on the mechanistic dynamics related to respiratory disease. In preparation for the next pandemic, the US CDC, the Canadian National Research Council, the US FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine and Boeing have been in a multi-year collaboration to develop a systematic and holistic framework that examines the routes for disease transmission and the associate risk of exposure and infection, with this framework being adaptable to multiple pathogens and settings.