Risk of fomite-mediated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in child daycares, schools, and offices: a modeling study

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 can persist on surfaces, suggesting that surface-based transmission might be important for this pathogen. We find that fomites may be a substantial source of risk, particularly in schools and child daycares. Combining surface cleaning and decontamination with strategies to reduce pathogen shedding on surfaces can help mitigate this risk.

Viral shedding and transmission after natural infection and vaccination in an animal model of SARS-CoV-2 propagation

“…Fomite transmission was amplified by subsequent cohabitation of rats. Conflicting data exist regarding the risk of fomite transmission in SARS-CoV-2 [27,46]. Our data indicate that while comparatively low, this route represents a clear source of transmission risk in that can be amplified by close contact such as dense co-housing conditions.…”

“…SDAV infects salivary glands [21], a capacity recently demonstrated for SARS-CoV-2 [42]. Both SARS-CoV-2 and SDAV can persist on hard surfaces for up to 28 days [27,43] and 2 days [44] respectively. Like SARS CoV-2 [24][25][26][27][28], SDAV infection can be transmitted by asymptomatically infected individuals [29] via airborne, direct contact or fomite routes [17].…”

“…Sialodacryoadenitis Virus (SDAV) is a highly infectious rat betacoronavirus [17,18] that infects the upper respiratory tract [19], salivary and lacrimal glands [20,21] and lung [21][22][23]. Like SARS CoV-2 [24][25][26][27][28], SDAV infection can be transmitted by asymptomatically infected individuals [29] via airborne, direct contact, or fomite routes [17].…”

Antimicrobial Copper Cold Spray Coatings and SARS-CoV-2 Surface Inactivation

“…Xiao et al went on to analytically investigate how fomite transmission of SARS infections were found to play a non-negligible role in pathogen transmission throughout a simulated hospital setting. The study by Xiao et al is only one of a number of similar works attesting to the fact that preventative measures need to be taken to minimize the risk of infection associated with touching an infected surface when SARS-based coronavirus outbreaks occur [2][3][4][5] . Otter et al found that SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and the influenza virus was shed from an infected community member within a hospital-like setting at concentrations that are much greater than the dose required for infection 6 .…”

“…With particular attention being given to SARS-CoV-2 and similar viruses, Castaño et al focused on disinfection approaches to inhibit surface-contact mediated fomite transmission in 7 . Additional works of scholarship worth consideration include 4,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14] . Ciacotich et al published an analysis of the antibacterial efficacy of an alloyed copper coating with silver as the alloying element in 18 .…”