Decontamination of common healthcare facility surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 using peracetic acid dry fogging

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for safe and effective surface decontamination methods, particularly in healthcare settings.

To evaluate the effectiveness of peracetic acid (PAA) dry fogging in decontaminating healthcare facility surfaces experimentally contaminated with SARS-CoV-2.

Nine materials (stainless steel, latex painted wood, unsealed hardwood, melamine countertop, vinyl flooring, clear plastic, faux leather, computer keyboard button, and smartphone touch screen) were surface contaminated with >10⁶ median tissue culture infectious dose (TCID₅₀) of SARS-CoV-2, and allowed to dry before exposing to PAA dry fogging.

When fumigated with PAA dry fog for 1 h, no infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus was recovered from any of the experimentally inoculated surface types. By contrast, high titres of infectious virus were recovered from corresponding untreated drying controls of the same materials.

Standard surface decontamination processes, including sprays and wipes, are laborious and frequently cannot completely decontaminate sensitive electronic equipment. The ease of use, low cost, and overall effectiveness of a PAA dry fogging suggest that it should be considered for decontaminating healthcare settings, particularly intensive care units where severely ill SARS-CoV-2 patients are cared for.