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Environmental Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 from September 2020-February 2021 on a University Campus that Followed CDC Reopening Guidance
HONGWAN LI, Sripriya Nannu Shankar, Chiran Witanachchi, John Lednicky, Julia Loeb, Md. Mahbubul Alam, Z. Hugh Fan, Michael Lauzardo, Karim Mohamed, Arantzazu Eiguren-Fernandez, Chang-Yu Wu, University of Florida
Abstract Number: 618
Working Group: Bioaerosols
Abstract
College and university campuses are densely populated areas with communal residential arrangements, shared dining spaces, and a population of adolescents interested in socialization; this means respiratory viruses can be efficiently transmitted on campuses. We conducted one of the first environmental surveillances for SARS-CoV-2 on a university campus in the U.S. that complement epidemiological studies. This study aimed to provide environmental surveillance data for evaluating the transmission risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 around foot traffic areas on a university campus that followed CDC reopening guidance. Environmental samples were collected at the university which had the second highest COVID-19 cases amongst higher education institutions in the U.S. in Fall 2020. Air samples near foot traffic areas and swabs from high touch surfaces were collected at six campus locations: three residence halls, one dining hall, one student union, and one basketball arena. After 16 sampling events throughout Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 and nearly 8400 visits of students during the measurements, a total of 60 air (N=41) and surface (N=19) samples were collected. We did not detect SARS-CoV-2 in any air or surface samples by rRT-PCR. The sampled university followed CDC guidance for campus reopening, including COVID-19 testing, case investigations, and contact tracing. At the six facilities, control measures were implemented such as reduced capacity, cleaning and disinfection, and one-way traffic management. Students, faculty, and staff were asked to maintain physical distancing, wear face masks, and hand washing, to further reduce the transmission. Although the COVID-19 cases were relatively high at the sampled university, the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at foot traffic areas in the sampled facilities was minimal due to the adopted CDC reopening measures. Identification of low risk areas allows resources to be focused on higher risk areas on campus for more effective risk minimization.