So, we know that we don’t know a s….d about this new coronavirus, HCoV-19 (which, when it is attached to our human cells, is the cause of the new disease, Covid-19).

Given that, it’s not surprising that new data is coming to the fore. I had already reported to you that aerosolized virus is viable for up to 3 days- just like Serratia marcescens.  The virus can be transmitted by droplets (particle size of 5 microns or larger) or aerosols (smaller particle size).   Which means that enclosed spaces can remain infective for way too long.

And, I also quoted the WHO (World Health Organization) proclamation that the virus survives on surfaces for a few hours to a few days.

Thanks to some new research- which has been rushed to preprint status due to the need for valid scientific data-  by a multi-institutional group, we know more.   Drs.NJ Doremalen, T Bushmake, MG Holbrook, BN Williamson, E de Wite, and VJ Munster (Virology Labs, NIH [National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, NIAID]), Dr. DH Morris (Princeton), Drs. A Gamble and JO Lloyd-Smith (UCLA), and Drs. JL Harcourt, NJ Thornburg, and SI Gerber (CDC- the Centers for Disease Control) pre-published their article,  Aerosol and surface stability of HCoV-19 (SARS-CoV-2) compared to SARS-CoV-1.(https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf ).

Now, this research was really performed at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories (Montana), not at an NIH or CDC facility.   And, the results for both the coronavirus and the SARS virus were determined.  The researchers let the virus deposit on a variety of surfaces and then plucked them off, putting them in cell cultures.  In other words- they determined the viability of the viruses after periods of time of adhering to the various surfaces.

The problem with this sort of study is that there are still environmental variables that can’t be included in the study.  Like when the virus alits on a windowsill and is exposed to sunlight (i.e., ultraviolet light). But, flat surfaces are generally more conducive to survival than when they are when viruses get deposited on  cloth or other rough surfaces.  (Remember- these are called coronavirus- they look like stylized suns, with little projections on their surface.   The projections can be left behind when they’ve adhered to a creviced surface.)

The researchers tested surfaces of polypropylene (plastic), AISI 304 (this is a stainless steel alloy), copper, and cardboard.  The ambient conditions were 40% relative humidity at temperatures of 21 to 23 C (60 to 64 F).

In particular, the results demonstrate that the virus can remain viable if it is deposited on plastic or stainless steel for 3 days (72 hours)- or cardboard for 24 hours.

What should one use to eradicate the viruses off shared surfaces? (Hey, folks- your smartphone is one fine breeding ground, too!)

Coronaviruses have an envelope (a sheath) with a protective fat layer.  That fat layer means they are susceptible to simple disinfection.  (Those noroviruses that left many cruise passengers at risk last summer have a robust protein sheath that renders them far less likely to succumb to most disinfectants.)

Ammonia, Alcohol, bleach (4 tsp bleach per quart of water), or registered disinfectant sprays are all it takes to wipe away these coronaviruses.  Baby wipes are useless. Hand sanitizers that are not alcohol based (>60%)are about as effective as the baby wipes.

Does that make you worried about opening your mail?  Maybe it should…

 

HOT FLASH- UPDATE 25 March 2019

Remember that cruise ship with the hundreds of infected passengers, moored off the coast of Japan?  Well, the ship was recently examined and the RNA (the genetic strand) of the virus was replete in the cabins of the infected passengers.   This was 17 days AFTER the ship was vacated, but before it was disinfected.  Now, since this is just the viral RNA they found (they did NOT check for the presence of the coronavirus itself), we have no idea if this was capable of infecting others.  But, we need to pay more attention to surfaces that have been in contact with Covid-19 patients.  We certainly need to perform additional research.

 

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