Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

December 28, 2020

Assessment of Air Contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in Hospital Settings

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In a systematic review of 24 studies evaluating the level of air contamination from SARS-CoV-2 in different hospital areas and factors associated with contamination, 17% of air samples from close patient environments were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with viability of the virus found in 9% of cultures. There was no significant difference in positivity between samples collected from within 1 meter of patients (2.5% positive) or 1 to 5 meters (5.5% positive, p=0.22). High viral loads were found in toilets and bathrooms, staff areas, and public hallways.

Birgand et al. (Dec 23, 2020). Assessment of Air Contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in Hospital Settings. JAMA Network Open.  https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.33232