Sports balls as potential SARS-CoV-2 transmission vectors.

Journal: Public health in practice (Oxford, England)
Published Date: Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

Objects passed from one player to another have not been assessed for their ability to transmit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We found that the surface of sport balls, notably a football, tennis ball, golf ball, and cricket ball could not harbour inactivated virus when it was swabbed onto the surface, even for 30 ​s. However, when high concentrations of 5000 ​dC/mL and 10,000 ​dC/mL are directly pipetted onto the balls, it could be detected after for short time periods. Sports objects can only harbour inactivated SARS-CoV-2 under specific, directly transferred conditions, but wiping with a dry tissue or moist 'baby wipe' or dropping and rolling the balls removes all detectable viral traces. This has helpful implications to sporting events.

Authors

  • Michel Pelisser
    Phoenix Hospital Group, 25 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QW, UK.
  • Joe Thompson
    Phoenix Hospital Group, 25 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QW, UK.
  • Dasha Majra
    The School of Medical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
  • Sonia Youhanna
    Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Justin Stebbing
    Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, London, UK.
  • Peter Davies
    Lansdowne Partners, 15 Davies Street, London, W1K 3AG, UK.

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