More Americans are using cloth coverings to shield their noses and mouths in an effort to blunt the spread of coronavirus, but eyes — long believed to be a possible infection route — usually remain open to the air.

That's how a high-profile infectious disease expert believes he caught the virus.

Virologist and NBC contributor Joseph Fair says he was likely infected through his eyes while on a crowded airplane flight, Fair told the Today Show. He said he was taking precautions he advises others to take, including wearing a mask.

Yet, days later, he began presenting symptoms of COVID-19 and soon needed to be hospitalized.

"You can still get this virus through your eyes ... it's the best guess I have of probably how I got it," Fair said. He also said he expects he will soon be discharged.

Experts told USA TODAY Thursday that, while the story underscores a risk that people should take seriously during a pandemic, it isn't one that should prompt panic.

The surface of your eye is a prime target for the virus, said Dr. Thomas Steinemann, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The organization has warned for weeks that you can be infected through your eyes and has published a list of tips to help prevent that from happening.........

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Poster Comment:

Honestly I have to wonder about this. Truth? A lying act of desperation to get ppl scared again? A push to get goggles required!