How Long Can Coronavirus Stay Airborne? Dentists must read!

How long can the coronavirus stay airborne? I have read different estimates.

A study done by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Laboratory of Virology in the Division of Intramural Research in Hamilton, Montana helps to answer this question. The researchers used a nebulizer to blow coronaviruses into the air. They found that infectious viruses could remain in the air for up to three hours. The results of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine on March 17, 2020.

I found this study very interesting as the majority of available information on the internet states that SARS-CoV-2 only stays airborne for up to 30 minutes - I thought that was a long time. But turns out the real statistic is 6 times that! Infectious viruses can remain in the air for up to THREE HOURS! That means after a dental appointment, my operatory realistically needs to stay empty for three hours to allow infectious aerosols to settle. Why not just prevent the aerosol contamination in the first place? Dentistry is high risk due to the long exposure time and close proximity to patient’s bioaerosols. Use the AeroShield™ FLOW aerosol evacuator to remove aerosols from the working zone while treating patients and keep it running between patients to filter the air in the room. The AeroShield™ FLOW reduces the levels of bioaerosols released into your operatory and filters the air releasing clean air into your operatory. This added layer of infection control will put your mind at ease while working in the new-normal era of dentistry.  

-Allison Alexander, DMD, co-founder of AeroShield™.