The risk of getting a COVID-19 infection from contaminated surfaces is extremely low, according to updated guidelines published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“It is possible for humans to become infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects (fomites), but the risk is generally considered to be low,” the agency said.
The main way people are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is through exposure to respiratory droplets, the CDC said. While not impossible, the agency said the risk of infection from fomites is “generally less than 1 in 10,000.”
The CDC guidance, coming more than a year into the pandemic, is the strongest argument yet against what some critics have called “ hygiene theater. ”
Despite the fact that CDC scientists have been fairly confident since last spring that transmission is almost entirely via airborne particles, institutions have continued to push for strict decontamination protocols, such as constantly wiping shared surfaces with disinfectant and closing schools and metros. for “deep cleansing.”
According to the CDC, cleaning surfaces with soap or dish soap, and not disinfecting, is enough to reduce risk in most situations.
“There is little scientific support for the routine use of disinfectants in community settings, both indoors and outdoors, to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by fomites,” the agency said. “In public spaces and community settings, available epidemiological data … indicates that the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by fomites is low – compared to risks of direct contact, droplet transmission, or airborne transmission.”
Disinfection is recommended in indoor community settings where there has been a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the CDC said.
CDC director Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s infrastructure plan leads to definition debate Fauci praises vaccinations: ‘This is not going to take forever’ CDC director walks tightrope over pandemic messages MORE told reporters that other strategies used, such as nebulization, decontamination, and electrostatic spraying, are not recommended at all as the primary disinfection method due to safety concerns.
Surface carryover can be reduced by wearing masks consistently and correctly and by washing hands well, the agency said.