SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination in metro-Atlanta grocery stores

PLoS One. 2023 Sep 19;18(9):e0291747. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291747. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on many businesses worldwide, essential businesses, such as grocery stores, continued to operate despite potential disease transmission. Although the principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is through exposure to respiratory droplets and very small particles carrying infectious virus, contaminated surfaces might play a role in transmission. We collected swab samples from frequently touched surfaces, including grocery carts, touchscreen monitors, credit card keypads, pharmacy counters, self-service food utensils, and refrigerator and freezer handles, in two metro-Atlanta grocery stores over the course of two sampling events in March 2021. Of the 260 swab samples collected, 6 (2.3%) samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Positive samples were collected from pharmacy (12.0% [3/25] samples), refrigerator/freezer aisles (2.5% [1/39] samples), and self-service food court (5.0% [2/40] samples) areas. Table/counter edge and underside surfaces represented 33% (2/6) of positive samples. These data suggest that risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from frequently touched surfaces in grocery store settings is likely low; however, more frequent cleaning of surfaces in pharmacy and self-service food courts might be warranted.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COVID-19*
  • Gastropoda*
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Supermarkets

Substances

  • RNA, Viral

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.