Conclusions
We found that SARS-CoV-2 was efficiently inactivated by WHO-recommended formulations, supporting their use in healthcare systems and viral outbreaks. Of note, both the original and modified formulations were able to reduce viral titers to background level within 30 s. In addition, ethanol and 2-propanol were efficient in inactivating the virus in 30 s at a concentration of ≥30% (vol/vol). Alcohol constitutes the basis for many hand rubs routinely used in healthcare settings. One caveat of this study is the defined inactivation time of exactly 30 s, which is the time recommended but not routinely performed in practice. Our findings are crucial to minimize viral transmission and maximize virus inactivation in the current SARS-CoV-2 outbreak.
This article was preprinted at https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.10.986711v1.
Acknowledgments
We thank the members of Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland and the Department for Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany for helpful suggestions and discussions.
This study was supported by the European Commission Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Honours (grant agreement no. 721367), and by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (grant no. 01KI1723A).
Ms. Kratzel is a PhD candidate affiliated with the Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Switzerland, the Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland and the Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern. Her research interests include coronaviruses.
Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2020;26(7):1592-1595. © 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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