Characterization of handheld disinfectant sprayers for effective surface decontamination to mitigate severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission

Much research has been conducted to prove the airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)1,2; however, fomite transmissions, in which infected expiratory droplets that have settled on surfaces are transmitted to the next individual, are also considered one of the main sources of viral spread.3,4 Van Doremalen et al5 evaluated the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on plastic, stainless steel, and cardboard surfaces, and the results showed that the virus survived up to 72 hours,5 which made surface decontamination a practical way to mitigate virus spread. Surface disinfection is officially recommended as one of the main COVID-19 preventive measures by authorized organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the European Center for Disease Control. The maximum area coverage was ˜60% at a limited number of locations and the droplet size was 100–300 µm. Based on this information, multiple applications at appropriate locations with trigger sprayers are recommended to perform effective surface disinfection.