A virus’s ability to travel through or linger in the air long enough to spread infection. Novel coronavirus particles are thought to be carried via microscopic moisture droplets, in a cough or sneeze, for example. These are not airborne in the traditional sense, as they are believed to fall to the ground after a short distance. Still, scientists do not fully understand all the ways the virus is transmitted, so the exact distance the virus can be transmitted through the air is unknown. Health officials still recommend wearing a mask in public settings and staying at least six feet apart from others.