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Evaluating the Decay of SARS-CoV-2 Aerosols: An Overview of Methods, Results, and Remaining Knowledge Gaps
MICHAEL SCHUIT, Paul Dabisch, BNBI / DHS NBACC
Abstract Number: 116
Working Group: Infectious Aerosols in the Age of COVID-19
Abstract
Aerosol transmission is thought to contribute to the spread of SARS-CoV-2, although the potential for aerosol transmission to occur in specific scenarios is dependent on many factors, including the sensitivity of the virus to ambient environmental conditions. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies from several institutions have reported data on the effect of environmental conditions, particle composition, and other parameters on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols. The results of these studies have provided valuable insights into the potential for SARS-CoV-2 transmission to occur via the aerosol route. Here we present an overview of the existing data on SARS-CoV-2 aerosol decay and the approaches that have been used to generate those data, with a particular focus on the studies that have been performed by our laboratory. A summary of remaining key questions associated with the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols will also be discussed.