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Volume 28, Number 7—July 2022
Research Letter

Increased Stability of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant over Ancestral Strain

Alex Wing Hong ChinComments to Author , Alison Man Yuk Lai, Malik Peiris, and Leo Lit Man PoonComments to Author 
Author affiliations: The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China (A.W.H. Chin, A.M.Y. Lai, M. Peiris, L.L.M. Poon); Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong (A.W.H. Chin, M. Peiris, L.L.M. Poon)

Main Article

Table

Stability of ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and of Omicron variant on different surfaces*

Material Incubation time† Ancestral SARS-CoV-2
Omicron variant
Mean log10(TCID50/mL) ±SD‡ % Reduction in viral titer Mean log10(TCID50/mL) +SD‡ % Reduction in viral titer
Stainless steel 0 5.02 +0.39 NA 5.35 +0.18 NA
3 h 4.21 +0.36 85.15 4.82 +0.23 69.78
6 h 3.73 +0.10 95.80 4.62 +0.31 79.86
1 d 2.99 +0.17 99.21 4.65 +0.17 80.28
2 d 2.08 +0.11 99.91 4.51 +0.15 85.82
4 d § >99.93 3.72 +0.12 97.72

7 d
§
>99.93

3.58 +0.30
98.19
Polypropylene 0 4.85 +0.23 NA 5.43 +0.16 NA
3 h 4.12 +0.19 81.72 4.65 +0.34 81.27
6 h 3.53 +0.15 95.43 4.33 +0.14 92.34
1 d 3.13 +0.34 97.86 4.45 +0.23 89.25
2 d 2.01 +0.10¶ >99.86 4.34 +0.25 91.53
4 d § >99.88 3.97 +0.19 96.48

7 d
§
>99.88

2.95 +0.27
99.65
Glass 0 5.10+0.24 NA 5.65 +0.28 NA
3 h 4.26 +0.05 86.79 4.90 +0.15 83.62
6 h 3.69 +0.11 96.42 4.52 +0.13 93.20
1 d 2.83 +0.13 99.49 4.20 +0.01 96.84
2 d 2.14 +0.13 99.90 4.43 +0.29 93.87
4 d 1.96 +0.00¶ >99.93 4.06 +0.16 97.64

7 d
§
>99.93

3.76 +0.10
98.83
Tissue paper 0 4.70 +0.22 NA 5.21 +0.14 NA
5 min 3.85 +0.28 84.98 4.64 +0.70 53.94
15 min 2.12 +0.14 99.75 3.72 +1.22 72.99
30 min § >99.84 2.92 +0.40 99.34

60 min
§
>99.84

§
>99.95
Printing paper 0 5.21 +0.00 NA 5.34 +0.13 NA
5 min 2.69 +0.16 99.68 3.26 +0.42 98.91
15 min § >99.94 2.20 +0.33¶ >99.91
30 min § >99.94 2.16 +0.36¶ >99.92
60 min § >99.94 § >99.96

*Tests were performed in triplicate. NA, not applicable; TCID50, 50% tissue culture infectious dose. †The samples were incubated at room temperature (21°C–22°C). ‡Vero E6 cells were used for titration of viable viruses. §All the triplicates were below detection limit of the TCID50 assay. ¶One or two out of three replicates were below detection limit of the TCID50 assay.

Main Article

Page created: May 04, 2022
Page updated: June 18, 2022
Page reviewed: June 18, 2022
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