The main ways in which a virus spreads are:
Airborne
The virus is light enough to remain in and be carried along in the air.
Contact
Also known as direct contact, this requires actual physical contact between someone who is infected and someone who is not, such as touching skin.
Droplet
The virus is spread by mucus droplets, either directly inhaled or picked up from a surface on which the droplets are present.
Fecal
The virus is spread through feaces. This is particularly common in animal viruses where, for example, one animal’s droppings are eaten by another animal.
Fecal-oral
The virus is spread from the feaces of one animal between ingested by another animal. This is often referred to as ‘poor hygiene’ and common with viruses such as norovirus, spread where food is prepared by individuals who haven’t washed their hands (properly) after going to the toilet.
Fluid
The virus is spread by exposure to an individual’s bodily fluids or liquids, such as saliva, semen or blood.
Vector
This virus is spread by another animal, for example mosquitoes are vectors for malaria.
SARS-CoV-2 is droplet spread. Mucus droplets are heavier than air so it does not hang in the air or get carried from one side of the street across to the other side. Droplets that are transferred to a surface, such as door handle or table, can remain there for a period of time. This period of time varies by surface but as a virus requires a living host to survive, its efficacy reduces with time based upon its half-life or T1/2.
SARS-Cov-2 is NOT spread by looking at someone, knowing where China is on a map or having cried at the Sound of Music.