Airborne SARS-CoV-2 is more frequently detected in environments related to children and elderly but likely non-infectious, Norway, 2022

• Published in: Virology Journal
• Main Authors: da Silva, PG, Hemnani, M, Gonçalves, J, Rodriguéz, E, García-Encina, PA, Nascimento, MSJ, Sousa, SIV, Myrmel, M, Mesquita, JR
• Other Authors: Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Nature 2023
• Subjects: Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10216/156292; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-023-02243-4

This study investigates the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor and outdoor environments in two cities in Norway between April and May 2022. With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country and a focus on vaccination, this research aims to shed light on the potential for virus transmission in various settings. Air sampling was conducted in healthcare and non-healthcare facilities, covering locations frequented by individuals across different age groups. The study found that out of 31 air samples, only four showed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR, with no viable virus detected after RNAse pre-treatment. These positive samples were primarily associated with environments involving children and the elderly. Notably, sequencing revealed mutations associated with increased infectivity in one of the samples. The results highlight the importance of considering children as potential sources of virus transmission, especially in settings with prolonged indoor exposure. As vaccination coverage increases globally, and with children still representing a substantial unvaccinated population, the study emphasizes the need to re-implement mask-wearing mandates indoors and in public transport to reduce virus transmission. The findings have implications for public health strategies to control COVID-19, particularly in the face of new variants and the potential for increased transmission during the autumn and winter seasons. This work was supported by national funds, through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), under projects UIDB/04750/2020 and LA/P/0064/2020, and by LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE) and UIDB/00511/2020 (LEPABE) funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). This work was also supported by the AIRCOVID initiative and is financed by the EEA Grants Bilateral Relations Fund through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEE), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, which are partners in the internal market with the States-Members of the European Union. As a way of promoting a continuous and balanced ...