Simulated Sunlight Rapidly Inactivates SARS-CoV-2 on Surfaces

Overview

Journal J Infect Dis

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2020 May 21

PMID 32432672

Citations 178

Authors

Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate

Gregory Williams

Brian Green

Melissa Krause

Brian Holland

Stewart Wood

Jordan Bohannon

Jeremy Boydston

Denise Freeburger

Idris Hooper

Katie Beck

John Yeager

Louis A Altamura

Jennifer Biryukov

Jason Yolitz

Michael Schuit

Victoria Wahl

Michael Hevey

Paul Dabisch

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 is stable on surfaces for extended periods under indoor conditions. In the present study, simulated sunlight rapidly inactivated SARS-CoV-2 suspended in either simulated saliva or culture media and dried on stainless steel coupons. Ninety percent of infectious virus was inactivated every 6.8 minutes in simulated saliva and every 14.3 minutes in culture media when exposed to simulated sunlight representative of the summer solstice at 40°N latitude at sea level on a clear day. Significant inactivation also occurred, albeit at a slower rate, under lower simulated sunlight levels. The present study provides the first evidence that sunlight may rapidly inactivate SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces, suggesting that persistence, and subsequently exposure risk, may vary significantly between indoor and outdoor environments. Additionally, these data indicate that natural sunlight may be effective as a disinfectant for contaminated nonporous materials.

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