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Study: Effects of Air Temperature and Relative Humidity on Coronavirus Survival on Surfaces

Study: Effects of Air Temperature and Relative Humidity on Coronavirus Survival on Surfaces

 Rhesusnegative.net2
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Assessment of the risks posed by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) on surfaces requires data on survival of this virus on environmental surfaces and on how survival is affected by environmental variables, such as air temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH). The use of surrogate viruses has the potential to overcome the challenges of working with SARS-CoV and to increase the available data on coronavirus survival on surfaces. Two potential surrogates were evaluated in this study; transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) were used to determine effects of AT and RH on the survival of coronaviruses on stainless steel. At 4°C, infectious virus persisted for as long as 28 days, and the lowest level of inactivation occurred at 20% RH. Inactivation was more rapid at 20°C than at 4°C at all humidity levels; the viruses persisted for 5 to 28 days, and the slowest inactivation occurred at low RH. Both viruses were inactivated more rapidly at 40°C than at 20°C. The relationship between inactivation and RH was not monotonic, and there was greater survival or a greater protective effect at low RH (20%) and high RH (80%) than at moderate RH (50%). There was also evidence of an interaction between AT and RH. The results show that when high numbers of viruses are deposited, TGEV and MHV may survive for days on surfaces at ATs and RHs typical of indoor environments. TGEV and MHV could serve as conservative surrogates for modeling exposure, the risk of transmission, and control measures for pathogenic enveloped viruses, such as SARS-CoV and influenza virus, on health care surfaces.

See the study:

Effects of Air Temperature and Relative Humidity on Coronavirus Survival on Surfaces

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Rhesusnegative.net

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2 Comments

  1. Robin May 25, 2020

    Thanks mike! I apologize for my typos. Sorry!. I am curious about this temperature and virus. Ironically cdc reports in massachusetts are confusing me. Of course temperatures are not at high levels you mentioned, yet numbers are rising. Weather or not these stats are accurate I don’t know. It’s been 70-80 degrees last week and virus is still strong here. Is it a possibility a mutation has occurred? Just a thought. I’ve had to take a lot of courses to get ready to work again. It’s going to be a nightmare with these respirator masks. The cost for PPE shouldn’t be an issue, but medical and dental facilities just don’t want to spend the money. To res use masks is disgusting. Even c dc changing rules. They want us to use uv light, really? Lysol is better. Reuse desposable gowns! This virus is not going away if we can’t follow proper osha guidlines. I don’t even know the truth anymore. There bending rules and I’m ethical , not going to endanger people because of greed. So why has there not been a huge plummet in virus numbers? The whole thing is off. Thanks for your research

  2. GILL APPLEBY May 26, 2020

    Very interesting article Mike. Shared on Facebook. Thank you for taking time to research such a serious subject. Stay safe!

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