Early in the pandemic, people were very concerned about the possibility that surfaces may carry coronavirus and contribute to the spread of COVID-19. Alcohol and other antiseptics sold out. Lysol and Clorox brand disinfectant wipes were hard to find. However, a new study from UC Davis published in PLOS One suggests that all that wiping down of groceries and quarantining mail may have been unnecessary (PLOS One, June 24, 2021).
Which Surfaces May Carry Coronavirus in a Hospital?
The research team sampled frequently-used surfaces in UC Davis Medical Center during April and August of 2020. They also analyzed the HVAC filters in the hospital. Windows, whiteboards, computer keyboards, hand sanitizer stations, nightstands and soiled linen hampers were all swabbed down.
Although 11 percent of the samples from April contained SARS-CoV-2 RNA, by August the hospital had improved its patient management and room cleaning protocols. Only 2 percent of the surfaces sampled at that time yielded viral RNA. Moreover, the RNA was not infectious.
The gene sequencing technology the scientists employed in this study is very sensitive. As a result, it was better than previous techniques for detecting viral contamination on surfaces such as keyboards. On the other hand, the researchers concluded that contaminated surfaces are not a major means of transmission.
The Bottom Line on Surface Contamination:
Homes and workplaces are less likely to be contaminated than hospital rooms. However, no one we know utilizes the intensive cleaning protocols that hospitals practice. If you have unvaccinated individuals coming and going in your home, you would be wise to disinfect common surfaces regularly. However, improving ventilation and wearing masks when vaccinated and unvaccinated people are indoors together would probably be more effective for controlling transmission.
