COVID-19 Facts
All COVID-19 environmental sampling methods are intended to detect the virus independent of the presence of an infected individual. The three main sources of environmental samples are: surface swabs, air samples, and water/waste samples.
Some of the earliest environmental samples of SARS-COV-2 (the virus responsible for COVID-19) collected in Wuhan, China, were surface samples collected by wiping sponges or swabs over various surfaces to collect a snapshot of where potential coronavirus transmission points were in a hospital setting. This method is being used to investigate what specific materials and objects are key suspects in COVID-19 viral transmission. Current evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Studies suggest that the virus can remain airborne for up to 30 minutes and live on hard surfaces for as long as 72 hours or more at 71 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius).
Surface testing is done very similarly to human COVID-19 testing and utilizes the same proven scientific technique to detect and identify the virus’ genetic material on a swab. Surface testing and human testing for COVID-19 do however differ in a key way. The sampling swabs we use are made specifically for environmental use; in fact, they are not fit for human testing.
COViD-19 Surface Timelines
