Soles of Our Shoes May Transmit COVID-19

A new study demonstrates just how easily COVID-19 can transmit between surfaces from unknowing hosts. Researchers tested numerous surfaces in different areas of a hospital in Wuhan, China. Surfaces in both the intensive care unit (ICU) and the general ward were compared. It may come as no surprise that the ICU—where numerous patients with severe cases of COVID-19 were being treated—had a higher positivity rating for the novel coronavirus on surfaces than did the general ward. What was surprising was that the floor in the hospital pharmacy came back with a 100% positivity reading, suggesting the virus was being transmitted across the hospital, despite strong infection control measures. When the soles of the shoes of those working in the ICU were tested for COVID-19, 50% came back positive. This suggests that employees picked up the virus on the soles of their shoes and carried it to the pharmacy and other areas of the hospital. Read more here.