Comparative dynamic aerosol efficiencies of three emergent coronaviruses and the unusual persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol suspensions

Fears, Alyssa C; Klimstra, William B; Duprex, Paul; Hartman, Amy; Weaver, Scott C.; Plante, Ken S.; Mirchandani, Divya; Plante, Jessica; Aguilar, Patricia V.; Fernandez, Diana; Nalca, Aysegul; Totura, Allison; Dyer, David; Kearney, Brian; Lackemeyer, Matthew; Bohannon, J. Kyle; Johnson, Reed; Garry, Robert F; Reed, Doug S; Roy, Chad J

The emergent coronavirus, designated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a zoonotic pathogen that has demonstrated remarkable transmissibility in the human population and is the etiological agent of a current global pandemic called COVID-19. We measured the dynamic (short-term) aerosol efficiencies of SARS-CoV-2 and compared the efficiencies with two other emerging coronaviruses, SARS-CoV (emerged in 2002) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV; emerged starting in 2012). We also quantified the long-term persistence of SARS-CoV-2 and its ability to maintain infectivity when suspended in aerosols for up to 16 hours.