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Review
. 2021 Sep 29:9:641599.
doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.641599. eCollection 2021.

Critical Capability Needs for Reduction of Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Indoors

Jayne B Morrow  1   2 , Aaron I Packman  3 , Kenneth F Martinez  2   4 , Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg  5 , Darla Goeres  1 , Delphine K Farmer  6 , Jade Mitchell  7 , Lisa Ng  8 , Yair Hazi  4 , Monica Schoch-Spana  9 , Sandra Quinn  10 , William Bahnfleth  11 , Paula Olsiewski  9   12
Affiliations
Review

Critical Capability Needs for Reduction of Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Indoors

Jayne B Morrow et al. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. .

Abstract

Coordination of efforts to assess the challenges and pain points felt by industries from around the globe working to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the indoor environment as well as innovative solutions applied to meet these challenges is mandatory. Indoor infectious viral disease transmission (such as coronavirus, norovirus, influenza) is a complex problem that needs better integration of our current knowledge and intervention strategies. Critical to providing a reduction in transmission is to map the four core technical areas of environmental microbiology, transmission science, building science, and social science. To that end a three-stage science and innovation Summit was held to gather information on current standards, policies and procedures applied to reduce transmission in built spaces, as well as the technical challenges, science needs, and research priorities. The Summit elucidated steps than can be taken to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 indoors and calls for significant investments in research to enhance our knowledge of viral pathogen persistence and transport in the built environment, risk assessment and mitigation strategy such as processes and procedures to reduce the risk of exposure and infection through building systems operations, biosurveillance capacity, communication form leadership, and stakeholder engagement for optimal response. These findings reflect the effective application of existing knowledge and standards, emerging science, and lessons-learned from current efforts to confront SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; biosurveillance; buildings; human factors; indoors; risk reduction and mitigation measures; transmission.

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Conflict of interest statement

KM and YH were affiliated to the commercial company HWC Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Science Communities Represented in the CLEAN 2020 Summit.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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