Detection of SARS-CoV-2 within the healthcare environment: a multi-centre study conducted during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in England

  1. G. Moore
  2. H. Rickard
  3. D. Stevenson
  4. P. Aranega-Bou
  5. J. Pitman
  6. A. Crook
  7. K. Davies
  8. A. Spencer
  9. C. Burton
  10. L. Easterbrook
  11. H.E. Love
  12. S. Summers
  13. S.R. Welch
  14. N. Wand
  15. K-A. Thompson
  16. T. Pottage
  17. K.S. Richards
  18. J. Dunning
  19. A. Bennett

Reviewed by

Read the full article See related articles

Listed in

Log in to save this article

Abstract

No abstract available

Article activity feed

  1. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.09.24.20191411: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board Statementnot detected.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.
    Cell Line Authenticationnot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Experimental Models: Cell Lines
    SentencesResources
    Vero E6 cells (Vero C1008; ATCC CRL-1586) in culture medium (MEM supplemented with GlutaMAX™-I, 10% (v/v)
    Vero E6
    suggested: None
    Vero
    suggested: ATCC Cat# CRL-1586, RRID:CVCL_0574)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    Despite its limitations, this multi-centre study supports the findings of others13, 15, 19-20 and should provide assurance to HCWs. SARS-CoV-2 may be present on frequently touched surfaces but effective cleaning should reduce the risk of fomite-transmission21 and limit the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols.17 Recommendations to regularly clean frequently touched surfaces are warranted and the need to clean items such as door handles, nurse call buttons and multi-use patient monitoring equipment should be emphasised. In wards caring for COVID-19 patients, viral RNA in the air was either not detected or was present only at a very low concentration. Our results suggest that if worn and used correctly, the PPE recommended in the UK, including components to protect against aerosol exposures when indicated, should provide adequate protection against the potential virus exposure risks identified in this study.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  2. Version published to 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.11.024
  3. Version published to 10.1101/2020.09.24.20191411 on medRxiv