"It can be inhaled if you are very close to the patient, if you are creating aerosolization," says Balkhy. But she said past clinical experience with other severe coronaviruses, SARS and MERS, supports the idea that these viruses mainly spread via droplet transmission. (NPR)

While research on the effectiveness of universal mask wearing for reducing respiratory droplet transmission is still thin, there is evidence to support it. (The Eagle)

“If it could easily exist as an aerosol, we would be seeing much greater levels of transmission,” said epidemiologist Michael LeVasseur of Drexel University. “And we would be seeing a different pattern in who’s getting infected. With droplet spread, it’s mostly to close contacts. But if a virus easily exists as an aerosol, you could get it from people you share an elevator with.” (Stat News)