Environmental Screening for Surface SARS-CoV-2 Contamination in Urban High-Touch Areas

The novel human coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak, which reached pandemic-level infection rates in just a few short months after being identified in late 2019. Early transmission models focused on surface contamination, but current research provides evidence for person-to-person transmission via aerosolized viral particles. As such, the CDC’s guidance has recently been updated to increasingly redirect the focus of prevention methods to aerosol routes. Inhalation of SARS-CoV-2 particles presents the most significant threat of infection to individuals. A secondary route, from hand to mouth, eyes or nose, is likely after contact with a surface contaminated with particles that have settled out of aerosols or been deposited by contaminated hands. Using common molecular detection methods including endpoint and quantitative PCR, we investigated whether there is detectable contamination by SARS-CoV-2 on high-touch surfaces on public transit vehicles and on other high-touch surfaces on a college campus during normal use. Our results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 can be successfully recovered and detected on common high-touch surfaces, albeit in comparatively lower frequencies as public health guidance progressed and more rigorous sanitization procedures were implemented.