California-based company Phylagen recently developed a test kit allowing users to detect coronavirus on surfaces. The kit has inspired various case studies, revealing what we have feared to be true. Yes, Covid-19 is living on surfaces. The kit comes with up to 25 samples. To test surfaces, one must dip a q-tip in a provided “wetting solution” before rubbing the q-tip on the surface to be tested. The results revealed the importance of high-touch surface disinfection.
Covid-19 Case Studies
Fox 58 in Bakersfield, California purchased one of these kits. They then sent an eye witness reporter to test 25 different surfaces at local grocery stores, a post office, gas station and airport. Surfaces tested included a self-check kiosk at the airport, a table at the post office and a gas station pump and keypad. They also tested everything from shelves to self check out registers at 3 different grocery stores. Of the 25 tests, the one sample that came back positive was from a self-serve bulk bin at the grocery store.
Fox 17 of West Michigan conducted a similar study. They ordered the same test kit and sent a reporter to various local spaces including a daycare, ATM, playground, gas station and parking garage. Of the 25 samples they had tested, 2 came back positive. The positive samples were taken from an elevator button in the parking garage and a door handle at the gas station.
Importance of Disinfection
Current data suggests coronavirus can live on hard surfaces for up to 3 days. The viral load received from touching an infected surface and then touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth will be less than that received through respiratory transmission. However, medical research suggests it is still possible to contract coronavirus through hand to eye, nose or mouth transmission. These case studies reiterate the importance of day porter, enhanced janitorial and electrostatic disinfection services to protect our communities from Covid-19.
