1887

Abstract

Aiming to contribute with more data on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in outdoor environments, we performed air sampling in outdoor terraces from restaurants in three major cities of Portugal in April 2021, following the third wave lockdown release in the country. Air samples (=19) were collected in 19 restaurant terraces during lunch time. Each air sample was collected using a Coriolis Compact air sampler, followed by RNA extraction and real-time quantitative PCR for the detection of viral RNA. Viral viability was also assessed through RNAse pre-treatment of samples. Only one of the 19 air samples was positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with 7337 gene copies m for the genomic region N2, with no viable virus in this sample. The low number of positive samples found in this study is not surprising, as sampling took place in outdoor settings where air circulation is optimal, and aerosols are rapidly dispersed by the air currents. These results are consistent with previous reports stating that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in outdoor spaces is low, although current evidence shows an association of exposures in settings where drinking and eating is possible on-site with an increased risk in acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the minimal infectious dose for SARS-CoV-2 still needs to be determined so that the real risk of infection in different environments can be accurately established.

Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • EEA Grants (Award AIRCOVID)
    • Principle Award Recipient: JoãoR. Mesquita
  • FCT/MCTES (Award UIDP/00511/2020)
    • Principle Award Recipient: SofiaI.V. Sousa
  • FCT/MCTES (Award UIDB/00511/2020)
    • Principle Award Recipient: SofiaI.V. Sousa
  • FCT/MCTES (Award LA/P/0045/2020)
    • Principle Award Recipient: SofiaI.V. Sousa
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Award LA/P/0064/2020)
    • Principle Award Recipient: SofiaI.V. Sousa
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Award UIDB/04750/2020)
    • Principle Award Recipient: SofiaI.V. Sousa
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Award DFA/BD/7806/2020)
    • Principle Award Recipient: Gomes da SilvaPriscilla
  • This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The Microbiology Society waived the open access fees for this article.
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2023-02-10
2024-03-28
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