Decontamination of common healthcare facility surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 using peracetic acid dry fogging

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for safe and effective surface decontamination methods, particularly in healthcare settings. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of peracetic acid (PAA) dry fogging in decontaminating healthcare facility surfaces experimentally contaminated with SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Nine materials (stainless steel, latex painted wood, unsealed hardwood, melamine countertop, vinyl flooring, clear plastic, faux leather, computer keyboard button, and smartphone touch screen) were surface contaminated with >10(6) median tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) of SARS-CoV-2, and allowed to dry before exposing to PAA dry fogging. Findings: When fumigated with PAA dry fog for 1 h, no infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus was recovered from any of the experimentally inoculated surface types. By contrast, high titres of infectious virus were recovered from corresponding untreated drying controls of the same materials. Conclusion: Standard surface decontamination processes, including sprays and wipes, are laborious and frequently cannot completely decontaminate sensitive electronic equipment. The ease of use, low cost, and overall effectiveness of a PAA dry fogging suggest that it should be considered for decontaminating healthcare settings, particularly intensive care units where severely ill SARS-CoV-2 patients are cared for. Crown Copyright (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Healthcare Infection Society.

Automated summary

The study evaluated the effectiveness of PAA dry fogging in decontaminating surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare settings. Findings showed that PAA dry fogging successfully eliminated the infectious virus from various surfaces, suggesting its potential use in healthcare settings, especially in intensive care units caring for severely ill patients. Traditional decontamination methods were found to be laborious and ineffective for sensitive electronic equipment.