With the concern on Coronavirus, there have been questions regarding its stability in the environment. An article in Medical News Today provides information gleaned from studies on other types of Coronavirus.
“Human coronaviruses can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces at room temperature for up to 9 days. At a temperature of 30°C [86°F] or more, the duration of persistence is shorter. Veterinary coronaviruses have been shown to persist even longer for 28 d[ays].” Higher humidity and lower temperatures increases the ability of the Coronavirus to remain active
For heating and UV destruction, "were converted to be non-infectious after 90-, 60- and 30-min exposure at 56 degrees C, at 67 degrees C and at 75 degrees C, respectively. Irradiation of UV for 60 min on the virus in culture medium resulted in the destruction of viral infectivity at an undetectable level."
“Surface disinfection with 0.1% sodium hypochlorite or 62–71% ethanol significantly reduces coronavirus infectivity on surfaces within 1 min[ute] exposure time.” CDC has provided this environmental control for healthcare operations"
- Routine cleaning and disinfection procedures (e.g., using cleaners and water to pre-clean surfaces prior to applying an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant to frequently touched surfaces or objects for appropriate contact times as indicated on the product’s label) are appropriate for COVID-19 in healthcare settings, including those patient-care areas in which aerosol-generating procedures are performed. Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims are recommended for use against COVID-19. These products can be identified by the following claim:
- “[Product name] has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to COVID-19 on hard non-porous surfaces. Therefore, this product can be used against COVID-19 when used in accordance with the directions for use against [name of supporting virus] on hard, non-porous surfaces.”
- This claim or a similar claim, will be made only through the following communications outlets: technical literature distributed exclusively to health care facilities, physicians, nurses and public health officials, “1-800” consumer information services, social media sites and company websites (non-label related). Specific claims for “COVID-19” will not appear on the product or master label.
- See additional information about EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims
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- If there are no available EPA-registered products that have an approved emerging viral pathogen claim for COVID-19, products with label claims against human coronaviruses should be used according to label instructions.
Medical News Today
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256521#definition
Coronaviruses: How long can they survive on surfaces?
A recent paper looks at how long coronaviruses can survive on various types of surfaces. It finds that the virus tends to persist longer in colder, more humid conditions. The authors also ask how we can destroy coronaviruses.
The novel coronavirus, now officially known as COVID-19, has been making headlines since it first came to light, late in 2019. Spreading from China to 23 other countries, COVID-19 has now infected 45,171 people.
Because this version of the coronavirus is new to science, researchers are scrambling to understand how to treat infections, and how to ensure that the virus does not spread further.
Because there are no specific treatments for COVID-19, many experts are focusing on prevention.
Scientists from the Greifswald University Hospital and Ruhr-Universität Bochum, both in Germany, recently compiled information from 22 studies on the coronavirus. Their work helps us understand how long coronaviruses survive on surfaces, and how people may be able to destroy them.
The authors initially compiled the information for inclusion in an upcoming textbook; but, author Eike Steinmann explains that “under the circumstances, the best approach was to publish these verified scientific facts in advance, in order to make all information available at a glance.”
Their work, which appears in The Journal of Hospital Infection, focuses on the coronaviruses responsible for two of the most recent outbreaks: severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
Their paper also draws information from studies that investigated veterinary coronaviruses, such as transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), mouse hepatitis, and canine coronavirus.
How long do coronaviruses persist?
The first section of the new paper focuses on how long coronaviruses can survive on inanimate surfaces, such as tables and door handles. The authors show that, depending on the material and the conditions, human coronaviruses can remain infectious from 2 hours to 9 days.
At temperatures of around 4°C or 39.2oF, certain versions of the coronavirus could remain viable for up to 28 days. At temperatures of 30–40°C (86–104°F), coronaviruses tended to persist for a shorter time.
At room temperature, a coronavirus responsible for the common cold (HCoV-229E) persisted significantly longer in 50% humidity than 30% humidity. Overall, the authors conclude:
“Human coronaviruses can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces at room temperature for up to 9 days. At a temperature of 30°C [86°F] or more, the duration of persistence is shorter. Veterinary coronaviruses have been shown to persist even longer for 28 d[ays].”
When the scientists delved into the literature on the persistence of coronaviruses on different surfaces, the results were variable. For instance, the MERS virus persisted for 48 hours on a steel surface at 20°C (68°F). However, on a similar surface and at the same temperature, TGEV survived for up to 28 days.
Similarly, two studies investigated the survival of two strains of SARS coronavirus on a paper surface. One survived 4–5 days, the other for just 3 hours.
How to inactivate coronavirus
In the next section of their paper, the authors address the best way to inactivate coronaviruses.
They conclude that agents, including hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, and sodium hypochlorite (a chemical in bleach), quickly and successfully inactivate coronaviruses.
For instance, the authors write that “[h]ydrogen peroxide was effective with a concentration of 0.5% and an incubation time of 1 minute.”
After assessing the evidence, the authors conclude:
“Surface disinfection with 0.1% sodium hypochlorite or 62–71% ethanol significantly reduces coronavirus infectivity on surfaces within 1 min[ute] exposure time.”
Conversely, solutions of a biocide called benzalkonium chloride produced conflicting results; and chlorhexidine digluconate, which people use as a topical antiseptic, was ineffective.
The authors write that “[t]ransmission in healthcare settings can be successfully prevented when appropriate measures are consistently performed.” Handwashing, in particular, is critical.
They explain how, in Taiwan, “installing hand wash stations in the emergency department was the only infection control measure which was significantly associated with the protection from healthcare workers from acquiring the [SARS coronavirus].”
Although the studies the authors summarize in this review did not investigate COVID-19, they believe that the results are also likely to be relevant to this latest coronavirus. All the human coronaviruses that the research had investigated seem to be susceptible to the same chemical agents.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4659470/
Human Coronavirus 229E Remains Infectious on Common Touch Surface Materials
Sarah L. Warnes, Zoë R. Little, and C. William Keevil
Rita R. Colwell, Editor
Rita R. Colwell, University of Maryland;
ABSTRACT
The evolution of new and reemerging historic virulent strains of respiratory viruses from animal reservoirs is a significant threat to human health. Inefficient human-to-human transmission of zoonotic strains may initially limit the spread of transmission, but an infection may be contracted by touching contaminated surfaces. Enveloped viruses are often susceptible to environmental stresses, but the human coronaviruses responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) have recently caused increasing concern of contact transmission during outbreaks. We report here that pathogenic human coronavirus 229E remained infectious in a human lung cell culture model following at least 5 days of persistence on a range of common nonbiocidal surface materials, including polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon; PTFE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ceramic tiles, glass, silicone rubber, and stainless steel. We have shown previously that noroviruses are destroyed on copper alloy surfaces. In this new study, human coronavirus 229E was rapidly inactivated on a range of copper alloys (within a few minutes for simulated fingertip contamination) and Cu/Zn brasses were very effective at lower copper concentration. Exposure to copper destroyed the viral genomes and irreversibly affected virus morphology, including disintegration of envelope and dispersal of surface spikes. Cu(I) and Cu(II) moieties were responsible for the inactivation, which was enhanced by reactive oxygen species generation on alloy surfaces, resulting in even faster inactivation than was seen with nonenveloped viruses on copper. Consequently, copper alloy surfaces could be employed in communal areas and at any mass gatherings to help reduce transmission of respiratory viruses from contaminated surfaces and protect the public health.
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