Systematic Review of the Key Factors Influencing the Indoor Airborne Spread of SARS-CoV-2
Simon de Crane D’Heysselaer,
Gianni Parisi,
Maxime Lisson,
Olivier Bruyère,
Anne-Françoise Donneau,
Sebastien Fontaine,
Laurent Gillet,
Fabrice Bureau,
Gilles Darcis,
Etienne Thiry,
Mariette Ducatez,
Chantal J. Snoeck,
Stéphan Zientara,
Nadia Haddad,
Marie-France Humblet,
Louisa F. Ludwig-Begall,
Georges Daube,
Damien Thiry,
Benoît Misset,
Bernard Lambermont,
Yacine Tandjaoui-Lambiotte,
Jean-Raph Zahar,
Kevin Sartor,
Catherine Noël,
Claude Saegerman,
Eric Haubruge
Affiliations
Simon de Crane D’Heysselaer
TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Gianni Parisi
Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiege), FARAH Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Maxime Lisson
TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Olivier Bruyère
Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Anne-Françoise Donneau
Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Sebastien Fontaine
Institute for Research in Social Sciences (IRSS), Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Laurent Gillet
Immunology-Vaccinology Laboratory, FARAH Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Fabrice Bureau
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, GIGA Institute, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Gilles Darcis
Infectious Diseases Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Etienne Thiry
Veterinary Virology and Animal Viral Diseases, FARAH Research Centre, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Mariette Ducatez
IHAP, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, 31000 Toulouse, France
Chantal J. Snoeck
Clinical and Applied Virology Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Stéphan Zientara
UMR1161 Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Anses, Université Paris-Est, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
Nadia Haddad
UMR BIPAR 956, Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
Marie-France Humblet
Department of Occupational Safety and Health, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Louisa F. Ludwig-Begall
Veterinary Virology and Animal Viral Diseases, FARAH Research Centre, Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Georges Daube
Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Denrées Alimentaires, FARAH Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Damien Thiry
Bacteriology, FARAH Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Benoît Misset
Service des Soins Intensifs, CHU Sart Tilman, Department des Sciences Cliniques, University of Liège, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Bernard Lambermont
Service des Soins Intensifs, CHU Sart Tilman, Department des Sciences Cliniques, University of Liège, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Yacine Tandjaoui-Lambiotte
Laboratoire Hypoxie and Poumon INSERM U1272, Service de Réanimation Médico-Chirurgicale, CHU Avicenne, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 93000 Bobigny, France
Jean-Raph Zahar
CHU Avicenne-APHP, 93000 Bobigny, France
Kevin Sartor
Planification: Energie—Environnement, Département d’Aérospatiale et Mécanique, Systèmes Énergétiques, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Catherine Noël
Department of Occupational Safety and Health, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Claude Saegerman
Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiege), FARAH Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Eric Haubruge
TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
The COVID-19 pandemic due to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been plaguing the world since late 2019/early 2020 and has changed the way we function as a society, halting both economic and social activities worldwide. Classrooms, offices, restaurants, public transport, and other enclosed spaces that typically gather large groups of people indoors, and are considered focal points for the spread of the virus. For society to be able to go “back to normal”, it is crucial to keep these places open and functioning. An understanding of the transmission modes occurring in these contexts is essential to set up effective infection control strategies. This understanding was made using a systematic review, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. We analyze the different parameters influencing airborne transmission indoors, the mathematical models proposed to understand it, and discuss how we can act on these parameters. Methods to judge infection risks through the analysis of the indoor air quality are described. Various mitigation measures are listed, and their efficiency, feasibility, and acceptability are ranked by a panel of experts in the field. Thus, effective ventilation procedures controlled by CO2-monitoring, continued mask wearing, and a strategic control of room occupancy, among other measures, are put forth to enable a safe return to these essential places.
