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Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs
Published on: April 9, 2021
All Surfaces Are Not Equal in Contact Transmission of SARS-CoV-2
Xuan Xue1, Jonathan K Ball2,3,4, Cameron Alexander5
1Division of Advanced Materials and Healthcare Technologies, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
Abstract:
The world faces a severe and acute public health emergency due to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Healthcare workers are in the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak response and are exposed to the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection daily. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is their main defense against viral contamination; gloves, visors, face masks, and gown materials are designed to eliminate viral transfer from infected patients. Here, we review research investigating the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and similar viruses on surfaces and highlight opportunities for materials that can actively reduce SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination and associated transmission and improve PPE.
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