Debate　and　scientific　inquiries　regarding　airborne　transmission　of　respiratory　infections　such　as　COVID-19　and　influenza　continue.　Health　authorities　including　the　WHO　and　the　US　CDC　have　recognized　the　airborne　transmission　of　COVID-19　in　specific　settings,　although　the　ventilation　requirements　remain　to　be　determined.　In　this　work　we　consider　the　long-range　airborne　transmission　as　an　extended　short-range　airborne　route,　which　reconciles　the　link　between　short-　and　long-range　airborne　routes.　The　effective　short-range　distance　is　defined　as　the　distance　in　short　range　at　which　long-range　route　has　the　same　volumetric　exposure　value　as　that　due　to　short-range　route.　Our　data　show　that　a　decrease　in　ventilation　rate　or　room　volume　per　person,　or　an　increase　in　the　ratio　of　the　number　of　infected　to　susceptible　people　reduces　the　effective　short-range　distance.　In　a　normal　breathing　scenario　with　one　out　of　five　people　infected　and　a　room　volume　of　12　m3　per　person　to　ensure　an　effective　short-range　distance　of　1.5　m,　a　ventilation　rate　of　10　L/s　per　person　is　needed　for　a　duration　of　2　h.　Our　results　suggest　that　effective　environmental　prevention　strategies　for　respiratory　infections　require　appropriate　increases　in　the　ventilation　rate　while　maintaining　a　sufficiently　low　occupancy.　Practical　implications:　Demonstration　of　the　long-range　airborne　route　as　an　extended　short-range　airborne　route　suggests　the　significant　role　played　by　building　ventilation　in　respiratory　infection　exposure.　The　reconciliation　of　short-　and　long-range　airborne　transmission　suggests　that　the　commonly　observed　dominance　of　close-contact　transmission　is　a　probable　evidence　of　short-range　airborne　transmission,　following　a　separate　earlier　study　that　revealed　the　relative　insignificance　of　large　droplet　transmission　in　comparison　with　the　short-range　airborneroute.　Existing　ventilation　standards　do　not　account　for　respiratory　infection　control,　and　this　study　presents　a　possible　approach　to　account　for　infection　under　new　ventilation　standards.