SARS-CoV-2 in the Environment: Its Transmission, Mitigation, and Prospective Strategies of Safety and Sustainability

Abstract

The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 have threatened the world’s public health security. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many countries and significantly smashed the global economy, and also affected the health of the environment. This has upraised many apprehensions about its high transmission rate. Even though the most important routes of its transmission include direct contact and respiratory droplets, the infection through non-direct contacts also plays an important role. The increasing demand for intensive healthcare, escalating death toll and disruption in supply chains and trade have directed to mass implementation of testing, quarantine, and lockdown to restrain virus transmission. The lockdown has been a boon and a bane as well when it comes to the health of the environment. It had improved the air and water quality since the industrial activities were banned and therefore there was no addition of pollutants in the environment, but the usage of plastic-based personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical waste has simultaneously resulted in huge plastic pollution that is choking seas and marine lives. The precautionary measures given by the United Nations Environment Programme in its COVID response factsheets suggest ways to reduce medical waste and to prevent the spread of the present pandemic. The recent green innovations and environmental stringency programs have resulted in reducing the threats to the environment that would eventually help in inhibiting the spread of such pandemics. In addition, proper measures should be adopted to safeguard the complete health of humans and the environment to execute safety and sustainable development that will help in achieving a stable biome. Graphical Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 surveillance with environmental surface sampling in public areas

“…Indirect transmission of COVID-19 occurs when an infected patient’s respiratory droplets or secretions contaminate surfaces that are later being touched by a healthy individual. Once a healthy person touches their eyes, nose, or mouth, a COVID-19 infection may occur [ 5 ]. Fomites were found to be a mode of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in an animal study model [ 6 ].…”

Exploring indoor and outdoor dust as a potential tool for detection and monitoring of COVID-19 transmission

“…It can also be utilized for ongoing monitoring of COVID-19 prevalence in communities, assessing the impact of lockdowns and intervention programs, and providing early warnings of COVID-19 transmission. 2 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 …”

The Safe Return of Face-to-Face Teaching in the Post-COVID-19 Era at a University in Southern Italy: Surface Monitoring as an Early Warning System

“…Sci. 2023, 13, 13214 2 of 13 SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted by direct (person-to-person) or indirect contact (e.g., inhalation of respiratory droplets, aerosols produced by coughing and sneezing of infected persons) [1,2].…”

“…Indirect transmission can also occur when a person comes into contact with contaminated surfaces [2]. However, environmental spread of SARS-CoV-2 to humans via contaminated surfaces remains controversial.…”