Your belief that Covid enters through the mucus membranes is based on your desire for it to be so."
Wrong. So very wrong. It's knowledge based on years of scientific study and reading scientific papers, and NOT the new york times.
There is obviously a LOT of ignorance of the basic biology, immunology and virology involved. That's ok, not everyone has spent years studying these scientific disciplines.
A minimum of two basic things need to be understood. (1) SARS-CoV-2 enters the body via areas with mucosal membranes. (2) The eye has a mucosal membrane, called the conjunctiva.
ConjunctivaNormal Anatomy
I. The conjunctiva (Fig. 7.1) is a mucous membrane, similar to mucous membranes elsewhere in the body, whose surface is composed of nonkeratinizing squamous epithelium, intermixed with goblet (mucus) cells, Langerhans' cells (dendritic-appearing cells expressing class II antigen), and occasional dendritic melanocytes
Great. Now that we've established that the eyes have a mucous membrane, let's continue....
"It has been reported that the viruses of the coronavirus family including SARS-CoV-2 mainly enter the human body through the mucosa of nose and oropharynx, and some eventually get deposited in the lungs."
"COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person. These droplets enter the air through a cough or sneeze and pass into another person through the nose, mouth, eyes or any mucous membrane. "
"When the virus gets in your body, it comes into contact with the mucous membranes that line your nose, mouth, and eyes."
"The respiratory tract epithelium is the key entry point for beta-coronaviridae, which includes SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus), and SARS-CoV, into the human host.29,30 The airway epithelium acts as a barrier to pathogens and particles, preventing infection and tissue injury by the secretion of mucus and the action of mucociliary clearance while maintaining efficient airflow. Inhaled SARS-CoV-2 particles likely infect different epithelial cell types on their way to the distal lung. Current observations suggest that initial viral contact occurs in the nasal mucosa through binding of the viral S (spike) protein to the ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme-2) receptor, followed by cleavage of S protein by TMPRSS2 (transmembrane serine protease 2). Replication of SARS-CoV-2 within these cells follows.31–33....
After entering and replicating within the nasal mucosa, SARS-CoV-2 travels to the conducting airways, where it triggers an immune and inflammatory response, manifesting in clinical signs and symptoms of COVID-19.36"
"Direct person-to-person respiratory transmission is the primary means of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [46]. It is thought to occur mainly through close-range contact (ie, within approximately six feet or two meters) via respiratory particles; virus released in the respiratory secretions when a person with infection coughs, sneezes, or talks can infect another person if it is inhaled or makes direct contact with the mucous membranes. Infection might also occur if a person's hands are contaminated by these secretions or by touching contaminated surfaces and then they touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, although contaminated surfaces are not thought to be a major route of transmission....
There is also no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted through contact with non-mucous membrane sites (eg, abraded skin)."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended droplet, contact, and airborne precautions along with protection of the eyes for confirmed cases [10]. Tropism for nonrespiratory mucosa as seen in the eyelids has also been documented [9].
Additionally, a medical expert, who visited Wuhan to investigate the COVID-19 outbreak, after returning to Beijing, initially exhibited conjunctivitis of the lower left eyelid before the appearance of catarrhal symptoms and fever.4 The individual tested positive for COVID-19, suggesting its tropism to non-respiratory mucosal surfaces, thus limiting the effectiveness of face masks.
“A leading Chinese respiratory expert who was infected by the Wuhan coronavirus while visiting the city last week said inadequate eye protection might have been the cause. Wang Guangfa, a respiratory specialist from Peking University First Hospital in Beijing, confirmed his infection and subsequent recovery...
At that time we were highly vigilant and wore N95 masks,” he said. “But then I suddenly realised that we didn’t wear protective glasses.” He said that after he returned to Beijing, his left eye developed conjunctivitis and two to three hours later he started to come down with a fever and catarrh. He said he initially thought he had the flu because he had not seen any Wuhan patients with conjunctivitis.
Even the CDC, updated a few months ago, was recommending to health care workers (but not the general public), that they wear EYE protection..
Eye protection should be worn during patient care encounters to ensure the eyes are also protected from exposure to respiratory secretions....
Personal Protective Equipment
HCP who enter the room of a patient with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection should adhere to Standard Precautions and use a NIOSH-approved N95 or equivalent or higher-level respirator, gown, gloves, and eye protection.
...
The PPE recommended when caring for a patient with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 includes the following:
Respirator
Put on an N95 respirator...Eye Protection
Put on eye protection (i.e., goggles or a face shield that covers the front and sides of the face) upon entry to the patient room or care area, if not already wearing as part of extended use strategies to optimize PPE supply.
Protective eyewear (e.g., safety glasses, trauma glasses) with gaps between glasses and the face likely do not protect eyes from all splashes and sprays.
Ensure that eye protection is compatible with the respirator so there is not interference with proper positioning of the eye protection or with the fit or seal of the respirator.
Remove eye protection after leaving the patient room or care area, unless implementing extended use. Reusable eye protection (e.g., goggles) must be cleaned and disinfected according to manufacturer’s reprocessing instructions prior to re-use. Disposable eye protection should be discarded after use unless following protocols for extended use or reuse.Gloves
Put on clean...Gowns
Put on a clean isolation gown......
Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs)
If performed, the following should occur:
HCP in the room should wear an N95 or equivalent or higher-level respirator, eye protection, gloves, and a gown....
Collection of Diagnostic Respiratory Specimens
HCP in the room should wear an N95 or equivalent or higher-level respirator, eye protection, gloves, and a gown.
...
Now tell us...WHY would the CDC have these EYE protection recommendations in place for SARS-CoV-2 exposed/potentially exposed health care workers if the EYE could NOT be a pathway to infection? Hello??
Finally...I'll leave you and the viewers with this recent article from the Lancet:
"SARS-CoV-2: eye protection might be the missing key Published:February 23, 2021Remarkably, a year after the COVID-19 outbreak, we remain ineffectual against widespread community infection. Perhaps, something major is missing in our approach?The importance of aerosols versus droplets1 is debated—most viral transmission appears to be via virus-laden droplets, with the greatest risk in crowded, inadequately ventilated environments. Proximity to those infected poses the greatest risk. Currently, the presumed major viral invasion modalities involve inhalation or hand contamination of mucosal surfaces, despite studies to the contrary from a century ago2 showing the importance of eyes as an influenza infection route. Ocular surface droplet deposition is greatly underappreciated as a probable, frequent route for SARS-CoV-2 transmission.3
Eye-protective face shields have been proposed to prevent community transmission.5 A large study6 showed that 19% of health-care workers became infected, despite wearing three-layered surgical masks, gloves, and shoe covers and using alcohol rub. After the introduction of face shields, no worker was infected.
In his landmark 1919 study,2 Maxcy used an atomised solution of Serratia marcescens as a marker to show that in adequately masked patients who had their eyes exposed, bacteria could be readily cultured from the nasopharynx. The ocular surface and its connection via the nasolacrimal duct, permits access of respiratory viruses, to the respiratory system, gut, and circulation. These viruses are more appropriately termed oculotropic.7
The eyes are located at a vantage point, simultaneously sensing high bandwidth information but are also exposed to the airborne risk.3 Ocular surface area, including periocular structures, is large compared with the surface of the mouth and nares and is readily available for droplet deposition.2 This area has been calculated to be around 10 000 mm2, two orders of magnitude greater than for the nares and mouth.3 The tear film protects the ocular surface but also provides an unrecognised vehicle for viral carriage into the nose.
...
The predominant physical barrier approach, by masking mouths and noses, provides variable protection and ease of use and comfort but could be inadequate when worn for extended periods of time. Masks serve a dual purpose of preventing droplet transmission and wearer protection. However, a 2020 meta-analysis concluded that the wearing of surgical masks in non-health-care settings was not associated with a significant reduction in acute respiratory illness incidence;9 furthermore, there are several supportive studies.10 In 1919 and during the great world plague epidemics, “masking of the whole face, eyes included, [had] been wonderfully effective”2, yet the relative importance of protecting eyes remains unexplored. "
If you want to "follow the science" that article alone...and it's references (from the 1918/1919 flu pandemic to current)...should open your eyes to the fact that they can be routes for Covid infection as well.
The science is there. You can get a SARS-CoV-2 (and other viral) infection via the mucosal lining of your eyes.
Since SARS-CoV-2 is everywhere, and not just in hospitals or medical offices...that the government is telling the health care workers to protect their eyes and not the general public...is a giant red flag that this is nothing more than a scamdemic used to control the ignorant and gullible population. If the government were serious about this being so deadly to the general public...they would have had an eye protection mandate in place as well.
There have been no known case where Covid infected the patient from casual contact with the virus. Feel free to live in fear if you wish