By Dr. Kristin Drexler
Faculty Member, School of STEM, American Military University
Note: This article features a presentation by Dr. Laura Korin, a medical doctor and public health expert in New York City. She was invited to speak to the wSTEM-AWIS chapters on the pandemic.
Start an Emergency & Disaster Management degree at American Military University. |
The coronavirus pandemic which causes the COVID-19 illness has deeply affected all aspects of life around the globe over the past several months, including in the United States. With a continuously evolving environment, statistics, and information about the coronavirus pandemic, and no vaccines or ways to effectively contain it so far, the virus will continue to have profound impacts for a while.
As of April 9, according to Worldometer‘s real-time map, there were over 1.6 million cases of coronavirus and over 95,000 deaths worldwide. In the U.S. there were over 424,000 active cases and over 16,000 deaths. The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center also offers reliable data with interactive maps updated daily.
Global, national, and local health systems, economies and governments are strained. So how could this happen? How could a novel virus have such an impact? What exactly are we dealing with? Why is it so dangerous? And what can and should we be doing to stop it?
These questions and others were addressed in Dr. Laura Korin’s presentation on March 19, hosted by the APUS chapters of Women in STEM and the Association of Women in Science student chapters. (Note: On the video, skip to minute 11:00 of the presentation for information specific to COVID-19.)
Coronavirus Persistence on Surfaces
There are different coronaviruses with different persistences on surfaces, Dr. Korin said. “The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is very similar to the SARS-CoV-1 virus” in terms of how long the virus can stay on different surfaces.
Source: www.wSTEMapus.org
Dr. Korin suggested neutralizing the virus by disinfecting surfaces with a liquid disinfectant, such as a 62 to 71% alcohol disinfectant or a 0.5% hydrogen peroxide bleach or 0.1% sodium hypochloride household bleach solution. She said that any packaging coming into your household – including post office packages and take-out food containers – should be discarded. Countertops should be cleaned and disinfected, and hands that have come into contact with outside packaging should be washed appropriately.
“Smooth (non-porous) surfaces (e.g., countertops, door knobs) transmit viruses better than porous materials (e.g., paper money, pet fur) because porous, especially fibrous, materials absorb and trap the pathogen (virus), making it harder to contract through simple touch.” — Dr. Kristi Drexler
Is Coronavirus Transmission by Pets Possible?
Current literature varies in answering whether household pets can transmit the virus to humans. More studies are needed, but there is some information available that can help.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says: “Some coronaviruses that infect [wild] animals have become able to infect humans and then spread between people, but this is rare… At this time, there is no evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19 or that they might be a source of infection in the United States.”
On March 22, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reported that “there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets become ill with COVID-19 or that they spread it to other animals, including people.”
There is a (slight) possibility of transmission through animal fur, however. The AVMA website explains: “Transmission primarily occurs when there is contact with an infected person’s bodily secretions, such as saliva or mucus droplets in a cough or sneeze.
Transmission via touching a contaminated surface or object (i.e., a fomite) and then touching the mouth, nose, or possibly eyes is also possible, but appears to be a secondary route. Smooth (non-porous) surfaces (e.g., countertops, door knobs) transmit viruses better than porous materials (e.g., paper money, pet fur) because porous, especially fibrous, materials absorb and trap the pathogen (virus), making it harder to contract through simple touch.”
During Dr. Korin’s presentation, wSTEM and AWIS Secretary Ciera Gatling asked: “I am a veterinary technician for the Humane Society, so our big question is are we able to get it from coming into contact with people’s pets?”
Dr. Korin replied that we don’t know how long the virus can last on fur; also, whether pet secretions can be transferred to people “has not been studied.”
“Technically, it’s a possibility,” she added. “We’re not seeing any animals get infected from it…so you wouldn’t get it from the animal per se (where the animal is sick), or at least not that we’ve seen so far.”
The AVMA advises that people with pets at home “should continue to practice good hygiene during those interactions (e.g., wash hands before and after interacting with your pet; ensure your pet is kept well-groomed; regularly clean your pet’s food and water bowls, bedding material, and toys).” And until more is known, if a person is ill with COVID-19, s/he should “limit contact with animals.”
For more information about COVID-19, see the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and other reputable public health organizations.
For more information on AMU and APU organizations which focus on STEM topics, including COVID-19, please consider joining one of these two student chapters, for which I am a faculty advisor:
- wSTEM: Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
- The Association of Women in Science (AWIS)
For more information or to join these groups for free (all are welcome), please visit the APUS wSTEM chapter website.
About the Author
Dr. Kristin Drexler is a full-time faculty member of Geography and Conservation of Natural Resources for American Military University’s School of STEM. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at New Mexico State University by researching socio-ecological systems, sustainable agroecology, and community extension education. She earned her Master of Arts in International Affairs from Ohio University, with an emphasis in natural resources management.
Kristin has conducted numerous community surveys in Belize regarding agroforestry, conservation and sustainable agriculture. Until she became a full-time instructor with AMU in 2009, she was an environmental scientist in New Mexico, conducting field biology surveys and environmental impact analyses. Drexler founded the Belize Field School Program at NMSU, coordinating short courses in Belize in wildlife, agroforestry, marine ecology, and documentary film (2006-2014).
Most recently, Kristin produced an award-winning short film, “Yochi,” a story about youth conservation and action against poaching and illegal wildlife trade. In the late 1990s, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Belize. She serves on the board of directors of Full Basket Belize, a U.S. nonprofit that provides high school scholarships and community grants in Belize. Kristin also regularly volunteers as a faculty advisor for AMU’s wSTEM and AWIS chapters.
Comments are closed.