The CDC says the risk of transmitting COVID-19 on surfaces is 1 in 10,000

The risk of contracting a COVID-19 infection from contaminated surfaces is extremely low, according to updated guidelines released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“It is possible for people to become infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects (fomites), but the risk is generally considered low,” the agency said.

The primary way people get infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is exposure to respiratory droplets, the CDC said. While not impossible, the agency said the risk of vector infection was “generally less than 1 in 10,000.”

The CDC’s guidelines, coming more than a year after the start of the pandemic, are the strongest argument to date against what some critics have dubbed “theater of hygiene.”

Although scientists at the CDC have been fairly certain since at least last spring that transmission is almost entirely through airborne particles, institutions have continued to insist on strict disinfection protocols, such as constantly wiping down surfaces shared with disinfectant and close schools and subways. for “deep cleaning”.

According to the CDC, cleaning surfaces with soap or detergent, not disinfectant, is enough to reduce risk in most situations.

“There is little scientific support for the routine use of disinfectants in community settings, whether indoors or outdoors, to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by fomites,” said the agency. “In public spaces and community settings, the available epidemiological data … indicate that the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from fomites is low – compared to the risks of direct contact, droplet transmission or transmission Aerial.”

Disinfection is recommended in indoor community settings where there has been a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 24 hours, the CDC said.

CDC Director Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden’s infrastructure plan sparks debate over definition Fauci touts vaccinations: ‘It’s not going to last forever’ CDC director walks a tightrope on pandemic messaging KNOW MORE told reporters that the other strategies used, such as misting, fumigation and electrostatic spraying, are not recommended at all as primary methods of disinfection due to safety risks.

Surface transmission can be reduced by wearing masks consistently and correctly, as well as washing your hands properly, the agency said.