I have been trying to collect information about the new coronavirus and transmission via fomites (objects or materials such as door handles, clothing, phones, etc). Yesterday I posted to Twitter asking for input and got a large collection of useful responses.
See these two tweets and the responses to them. I highlight some key responses that include references after these tweets
Anyone out there know data / estimates on the mode(s) of transmission of the new #Coronavirus #COVID19 #COVID_19 #SARS_COV_2 – e.g.. what % of cases came from person-person contact, what % came from contact w/ contaminated surfaces, etc?
— Jonathan Eisen (@phylogenomics) March 4, 2020
Still looking for information about mode of transmission for #COVID19 #Coronavirus … would love any pointers https://t.co/jSQstofVVv
— Jonathan Eisen (@phylogenomics) March 4, 2020
Tweets with key references:
have you seen this? https://t.co/W7qMlH8Frw
— Apoorva Mandavilli (@apoorva_nyc) March 4, 2020
Referenced in this article: “Most of touchable surfaces in MERS units were contaminated by patients and health care workers and the viable virus could shed through respiratory secretion from clinically fully recovered patients” https://t.co/pAubAVO2DB
— Fleetwood Eldredge (@fleetwoodeldred) March 4, 2020
ICYMI https://t.co/DnV0TBGaUR
— David States (@statesdj) March 4, 2020
No published studies for COVID yet. “During previous outbreaks due to other coronavirus MERS and SARS, human-to-human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and fomites, suggesting that the transmission mode of the COVID-19 can be similar.” https://t.co/XeQvMCEPBb
— Stacy Marie (@stacy_rie) March 4, 2020
Role of fomites for SARS transmission “non-negligible.”https://t.co/dQyehSv3Ih
— Stacy Marie (@stacy_rie) March 4, 2020
This is pretty interesting but not sure where info on transmission comes from, but suggests not airborne or fecal shedding https://t.co/YbOwVMtvng
— Ben Longdon (@b_longdon) March 4, 2020
droplets and close contact and not aerosols according to WHO https://t.co/Hmv73OYttx
— Des Higgins Official (@HigginsDes) March 4, 2020
This gives some rates of secondary transmission, which hints at mode (rates don’t seem super high among close contacts) https://t.co/MQwRms7R4f
— EJ Willingham (@ejwillingham) March 4, 2020
And this from Lancet https://t.co/B1HWkiJPYz
— EJ Willingham (@ejwillingham) March 4, 2020
I am sure you’ve seen this, but just in case: https://t.co/I5F7uz6xvM
— EJ Willingham (@ejwillingham) March 4, 2020
From WHO: “COVID-19 is transmitted via droplets and fomites during close unprotected contact between an infector and infectee. Airborne spread has not been reported for COVID-19 and it is not believed to be a major driver of transmission” https://t.co/HFkcB36Cqc
— Marina Picciotto (@MarinaP63) March 4, 2020
Here’s some good info on transmission, from China CDC Feb 15: https://t.co/N3DJxIRqxW@phylogenomics pic.twitter.com/nhwNQ3kfGO
— Jennifer Wong (@JennWongSilver) March 4, 2020
Jonathan, I am with you! I honestly do not think the evidence is clear. What is clear though is breathing someone’s breath that is infected is a very viable mode of transmission per Dr. Milton’s work. https://t.co/Y3R9SHdomY
— Fleetwood Eldredge (@fleetwoodeldred) March 4, 2020
Jonathan, what is the strongest evidence you have seen thus far for fomite transmission of COVID-19?
Internal medicine physician and rheumatologist Here
My personal belief is that COVID is primarily spread by large droplet aersolization of respiratory or flushed feces Live virus particles in a high enough number delivered to angiotensin receptors in back on nose. Not formite touch some dead virus particle To tip of your nose
Where is the monkey or bat or other studies where contaminated fomites sneezed on One minute vs one hour ago vs one day ago Tossed into animal cages to see if they actually get COVID infections by touch only. Not breathing it in??
I still have yet to find any strong evidence for fomites transmission for Sars-CoV-2.. However it is difficult to document such transmission in the real world. Although animal experiments could be informative it would likely be difficult to have them be set up in such a way as to mimi human fomite transmission. The alternative is really taking large data sets from epidemiological studies and modeling transmission and seeing if fomites transmission is needed to explain any of the patterns. This was done for Sars in at least one study which concluded that fomites transmission was (under their assumptions) low but significant. See https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5519164/