Latest on fomite (surface) transmission

[Sojourner]

I'm wondering if there has been any revision to the guidance we all heard last year (and even back in mid/late 2020) that COVID infection happens primarily via respiratory pathways and not by touching surfaces. To this day, I still don't feel comfortable touching "public" surfaces like pump handles at gas stations and touchscreens/keypads at the grocery store. I also feel a little uneasy about touching boxes that have just been delivered, preferring to let them rest for 12-24 hours to decontaminate. But I know that, at least for the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, fomites were not much of a concern and that surface transmission was considered an extremely low risk compared with close, face-to-face interaction with people.

Has anything changed in this regard, especially with the new omicron variant? Given that it's multiple times more infectious than delta, which was multiple times more infectious than the original strain, is there a higher chance of surface transmission now? I feel like this is something we just never hear much about, yet it continues to plague many people (like me) who could be worrying about it unnecessarily.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Although not updated for omicron, the CDC doesn't seem too concerned:

People can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 through contact with surfaces. However, based on available epidemiological data and studies of environmental transmission factors, surface transmission is not the main route by which SARS-CoV-2 spreads, and the risk is considered to be low.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html

I have just made it a practice to use hand sanitizer after handling common touch items such as gas pumps or CC terminals. As far as packages are concerned, we have probably gotten 200+ packages delivered since early 2019 and neither DW or I seem to have contracted it. Of course, that's just antedotal...so useless.

 

[Bamaman]

I wouldn't be concerned about boxes that have been delivered.

You do best to wash your hands often and soon after touching public surfaces like fuel pump handles, shopping cart handles and touch screens.

We constantly clean our Formica surfaces and granite tops on kitchen cabinets with a surface cleaner that kills 99.9% of germs.

 

[ABQ2015]

I haven't read anything new about COVID infection from surface transmission but have tried to be more careful lately to wash hands, use hand sanitizer, wipe down surfaces, etc. to avoid a winter cold. This is because I caught a mild cold after Halloween and was stressed out for a week that it could be COVID and do not want to go through that again.

 

[Sojourner]

Although not updated for omicron, the CDC doesn't seem too concerned:

People can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 through contact with surfaces. However, based on available epidemiological data and studies of environmental transmission factors, surface transmission is not the main route by which SARS-CoV-2 spreads, and the risk is considered to be low.

OK, but how are we (the general public) supposed to know whether this still applies to the latest variants, especially omicron? Given everything we're hearing about it, like how heavily mutated it is and how much more transmissible it is, wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that it might be much more efficient at surface transmission? I feel like I can't be the only one wondering about this. I just wish there were more definitive, clear guidance out there with respect to omicron. Maybe this is just one of those situations where there isn't enough recent data available to warrant changes to the long-standing guidance.

 

[pacergal]

Sars-CoV-2 is spread via respiratory, it is a droplet/airborne disease.
So, highly unlikely to catch it through hard surfaces. Unless you see someone cough/sneeze directly onto something and you touch that surface immediately while there is moisture there and then touch your face, then you might catch it!

Good hand hygiene is always a great illness fighter, especially during cold/flu/covid season.
Wash your hands (or use sanitizer) before eating, after using the restroom, coughing/blowing your nose, or touching surfaces.
Basic health care.

 

[Badger]

Every time I am returning to the car from infrequent grocery shopping, or from a doctor/dentist and before I take off my mask I have a small bottle of 70% isopropyl I use on my hands (no different and maybe better than hand sanitizer) and a spray bottle of the same for the mask that goes on the dashboard in the sun until next time. Groceries are handled by many people before you get them home - the person who stocks the shelves, at the register, and the bagger so this is the easiest I can do. Takes all of 20 seconds.

Is it a good idea? I don't know but just in case.



Cheers!

 

[sengsational]

In my YouTube informed opinion, fomite transmission probably doesn't change much with different variants; the virus machinery's ability to withstand hostile environments is the same. Could be that a lower virus count is required to generate disease, but it's probably not too much different.

I do think that if it weren't for the airborne transmission, there would be no pandemic (duh), there is still a solid fomite transmission pathway that's getting exercised as a component of the pandemic. An anecdote from Dr. Mobeen (YouTuber) is that he used a public pen, then licked his finger (to seal an envelope). It's easy to see how we still must be diligent in hand-face contact.