Over the weekend, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the novel coronavirus COVID-19 can be airborne.
Days later, Gizmodo reports the public health agency took it back.
The new language on the CDC's website was released Friday, saying COVID-19 could be transmitted by respiratory droplets and through the air.
But by Monday afternoon, the CDC removed the new language, claiming it was a draft version that was posted in error.
It’s unclear whether the walk-back was due to pressure from higher-up officials in the Trump administration, which has had a track record of interfering with the CDC.
Evidence suggests the virus can and has spread via aerosols in certain conditions, such as in air-conditioned and poorly ventilated spaces.
However, there's uncertainty as to how great a role airborne transmission plays in the overall spread of the virus.
