Lack of SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples collected from September 2020-February 2021 in a university that followed CDC reopening guidance

Hongwan Li; Sripriya Nannu Shankar; Chiran T Witanachchi; John A Lednicky; Julia C Loeb; Md Mahbubul Alam; Z Hugh Fan; Michael Lauzardo; Karim Mohamed; Arantzazu Eiguren-Fernandez; Chang-Yu Wu

doi:10.1016/j.heha.2023.100061

Lack of SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples collected from September 2020-February 2021 in a university that followed CDC reopening guidance

Hyg Environ Health Adv. 2023 Sep:7:100061. doi: 10.1016/j.heha.2023.100061. Epub 2023 May 19.

Authors

Hongwan Li^{1

2}, Sripriya Nannu Shankar², Chiran T Witanachchi², John A Lednicky^{3

4}, Julia C Loeb^{3

4}, Md Mahbubul Alam^{3

4}, Z Hugh Fan^{5

6}, Michael Lauzardo^{4

7}, Karim Mohamed⁶, Arantzazu Eiguren-Fernandez⁸, Chang-Yu Wu^{2

9}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, USA.
² Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, USA.
³ Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, USA.
⁴ Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, USA.
⁵ Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, USA.
⁶ J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, USA.
⁷ Department of Medicine, University of Florida, USA.
⁸ Aerosol Dynamics Inc., Berkeley, California, USA.
⁹ Department of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, USA.

Abstract

This study aimed to provide environmental surveillance data for evaluating the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 in public areas with high foot traffic in a university. Air and surface samples were collected at a university that had the second highest number of COVID-19 cases among public higher education institutions in the U.S. during Fall 2020. A total of 60 samples were collected in 16 sampling events performed during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Nearly 9800 students traversed the sites during the study period. SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in any air or surface samples. The university followed CDC guidance, including COVID-19 testing, case investigations, and contact tracing. Students, faculty, and staff were asked to maintain physical distancing and wear face coverings. Although COVID-19 cases were relatively high at the university, the possibility of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infections at the sites tested was low.

Keywords: Airborne transmission; COVID-19; Environmental surfaces; Higher education institution; Infection risk.

Abstract

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