COVID-19 Updates and Precautions
for Circus and Aerial Studios
(as of da/te/2020 @ ti:me pm EST)
Version 1.4
The Circus and Aerial Safety Group is a Facebook group concerned with the safety of the Circus and Aerial community. The group produces resources on all manner of safety topics in the Circus community.
Join us at www.Facebook.com/groups/circusandaerialsafety/
We would like to thank the following contributors to this document:
We also wish to thank several contributors who specifically chose not to be named. These contributors chose this specifically because they do not wish to “out themselves” in the legal, medical or scientific communities they work in. These include an MD, an infectious disease specialist, a microbiologist, lawyer and others. We greatly appreciate the work and effort they put in (and are putting in), and also understand that unwanted stigmas can still be applied to those in the circus and pole arts.
DISCLAIMER: This document was compiled by several experts in the field and has been peer-reviewed amongst the contributors. This document is not intended as a guide to keep studios open and running against government-mandated shutdowns. Please check your local government websites or offices for more information on mandatory shutdowns. And remember that complete isolation is the only way to ensure zero transmission of any virus.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals and/or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from “the common cold” to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The most recently discovered coronavirus is SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease COVID-19.
The name Corona comes from the shape of the virus when viewed under a microscope. The spiked membrane proteins make the virus look like the corona of the sun.
In this guide, we refer to the virus as “SARS-CoV-2 virus”. While this may not be medically correct, it clarifies to the intended audience that we are referring to the virus. Be aware that per CDC and WHO definition, “SARS-CoV-2” refers to the virus that results in “covid-19,” which is defined as the resulting disease.
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This virus had not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness (in some ways similar to the flu caused by influenza viruses) with symptoms such as a cough, fever, sore throat. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 may also result in complications such as pneumonia. Infection with this virus is generally more dangerous for those who are immunodeficient and the elderly; case fatality increases from 2.3% in the general population to 14.8% in patients over 80 years old with most cases in the overall population reporting mild symptoms (81%) (Wu & McGoogan, 2020[a]).
The virus life[b] of SARS-CoV-2 is not yet fully understood. While some research has been done on the survival of this virus on hard surfaces is not yet well established on porous surfaces or on fabrics. What we know so far is theoretical, since much of the data is based on how other coronaviruses work. Available evidence suggests it can be transmitted less easily from soft surfaces than frequently-touched hard surfaces, such as a doorknob or elevator button. However, this doesn’t mean soft surfaces are safe.
At the time of this compilation of research, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is estimated to live:[c]
According to the CDC15, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was identified on a variety of surfaces in cabins of both symptomatic and asymptomatic infected passengers up to 17 days after cabins were vacated on the Diamond Princess but before disinfection procedures had been conducted
The truth is that we literally don't know enough about killing[d] this virus.
That said, the following are suggested methods for SARS-CoV-2 virus disinfection:
SARS-CoV-2 virus does have a lipid envelope, making it susceptible to soaps and alcohols which will destroy the lipid membrane encasing the viral particle. Friction and agitation improves overall sanitation by increasing overall exposure to the cleaning agent on a surface. These and other recommendations are primarily based on prior research with similar viruses:
In addition, a list of commercial products that have been “pre-approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against emerging enveloped pathogens and can be used during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak”3 can be found here:
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
All other methods are anecdotal at best. The top recommendations are to scrub and clean, in addition to disinfecting with common surface disinfectants4.
While we WANT to be able to say that general disinfection practices are good enough, that would be inappropriate at this time. And cleaning of any porous surface, such as foam mats and fabrics, cannot be guaranteed to be effective unless the item is completely submerged, as porous surfaces are more difficult to ensure the entire surface area has come into contact with the cleaning agent.
Additional cleaning and disinfecting recommendations from the CDC can be found at the following link:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html
As noted above, with enough power and duration, UV light has been shown to kill another coronavirus6, and it is hypothesized to be similarly capable of killing COVID-19. It should be noted that you need a UV-C light (UV-C lamps are specifically sold as "germicidal" devices), and NOT a theatrical UV light, to kill the virus. You must also understand that UV-C light is not a panacea. It takes a while to do its job: As much as 6 times longer than chemicals do. UV-C light is very line-of-sight and intensity-dependent. If the light doesn’t get to the virus, it has no effect on it.
UV-C lights are impractical for circus studios. They are not recommended for use in routine disinfection or decontamination procedures outside of a laboratory or healthcare setting that mandates a sterile environment. These lights are primarily used for complete sterilization of a room or surface, such as between surgical procedures or creating medications for IV use. You cannot even be in the same room while these machines are running, and all entrances/exits must be sealed for personnel safety. So while it works, it's not a realistic solution for our industry.
Warning: UV-C light should NOT be used to treat skin. Any abraded skin may become very irritated after exposure to UV-C light. UV light is also cancer-inducing to animals when an animal is subjected to exposure to UV light.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus and its COVID-19 disease is known to spread in many ways. The primary method is person-to-person contact via infected aerosolized droplets, but it can also be spread via contaminated surfaces.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby and possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
The latest research10 indicates it is possible for a person with the SARS-CoV-2 virus to spread the virus even when they do not feel sick or appear to have symptoms of the illness. While people are thought to be most contagious when they are symptomatic (showing signs of having the illness, such as a fever, cough, difficulty breathing), according to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is currently believed that some spread of the virus might be possible before people show symptoms. There have been reports of the virus spreading this way, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
According to recent research2, it may be possible that a person can get the SARS-CoV-2 virus when they touch a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touch their own mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
While some research has been done on this topic, we currently don’t have enough information to give an exact answer. At this point, it is best to operate on the assumption that the virus spreads easily. Unlike some other viruses, SARS-CoV-2 can be shed for at least up to 24 days after symptom onset, meaning a person is infectious for at least 24 days after becoming ill (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2020). This is more than twice as long as a person would be infectious with an influenza virus. This is one reason this virus could be considered more dangerous than the average respiratory virus.
(https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-19-Discharge-criteria.pdf)
Studies indicate SARS-CoV-2 virus can last for as long as 9 days on a hard surface2.
No studies have yet been done on porous surfaces and fabrics[g]. Until we have a definitive answer, assume the virus can last as long (or longer) on a porous surface as they can on a hard surface.
According to Li QinGyuan, director of pneumonia prevention and treatment at China Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, those who have been infected with COVID-19 develop a protective antibody - but it isn’t clear how long the protection lasts.
"However, in certain individuals, the antibody cannot last that long," Li told USAToday (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/19/coronavirus-after-2000-deaths-can-you-get-virus-again/4804905002/) "For many patients who have been cured, there is a likelihood of relapse."
Dr. Peter Jung, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston told The Huffington Post. (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/can-you-get-coronavirus-again-after_l_5e6a8e2fc5b6dda30fc57d7d)“But just as the flu can mutate, so could COVID-19, which would make an individual susceptible to reacquiring the infection.”
However, according to Dr. Stephen Gluckman, an infectious diseases physician at Penn Medicine and the medical director of Penn Global Medicine, who spoke to the outlet, it seems likely that having the disease once results in immunity in most individuals - as is seen with other coronaviruses.
Additionally scientists from China have isolated two different strains of the virus, dubbed “L” and “S” since the recent outbreak. They analyzed 103 genomes using strains from China and discovered that 70% were the “L” type and 30% were the “S” type.12 It should be noted that the study only used samples from China, so more data is needed to determine what strains migrated world-wide. Studies have yet to be done that would research whether immunity to one strain confers immunity to the other strain. However most viruses do not operate this way (HSV, HIV, influenza, Ebola, etc.), so it would not be expected with SARS-CoV-2 either. If you were first sick with the “L” type, then theoretically you could still become infected again with the “S” type.
Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases. The symptoms are generally indistinguishable from those of the flu or a cold.
The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure, although most cases report mild symptoms and some may be completely asymptomatic:
How can you tell whether you’re feeling rundown because of the flu, COVID-19 or just plain allergies?
Here are a few differences:
If you have these symptoms and have traveled, been in contact with someone who has recently traveled, been on a cruise ship, or live near an area where a COVID-19 outbreak has occurred, it’s possible you are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Please consult your medical provider for your symptoms, especially if they are severe and concerning. Calling ahead to the medical office or clinic will allow them to take proper precautions prior to your arrival.
When in doubt, please self-quarantine and consult your physician!
Stay aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO website and through your national and local public health authority. Many countries around the world have seen cases of COVID-19 and several have seen outbreaks. Authorities in China and some other countries have succeeded in slowing or stopping their outbreaks. However, the situation is unpredictable so check regularly for the latest news.
At this point, if you are in an area that is seeing closures of school or other services, you should close for at least the same period of time as the public schools close.
The best current advice is not to just close, but to vacate the studio completely for at least 14 days to let the virus die out.
This pandemic has escalated so quickly in the locations that it has affected, by the time the government is mandating closures, it's already out of control in your area.
First, we must make clear that at this point in time, given how the pandemic has evolved, the authors of this guide unequivocally recommend closing if you are in an area affected by this pandemic. If you choose to stay open, or are in an area not yet affected by this pandemic, the following may be helpful:
According to the WHO, you can reduce your chances of being infected or spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease by taking some simple precautions:
Why? Washing your hands appropriately with soap and water will remove microorganisms like viruses. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer will inactivate the virus and reduce the number of microorganisms on your hands.
Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.
Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
Why? Droplets spread viruses. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.
Why? You have a higher chance of catching COVID-19 in one of these areas.
In addition to the basic protection measures, if you have recently been to a high-exposure area, you should take the following additional precautions:
Why? Avoiding contact with others and visits to medical facilities will allow these facilities to operate more effectively and help protect you and others from possible COVID-19 and other viruses.
Why? Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also help to prevent possible spread of COVID-19 and other viruses.
If you are staying open, you need to set up enhanced sanitation policies and practices. See the section on basic precautions for studios for a discussion on sanitation.
Many studios penalize students for missing a class due to illness. During this pandemic, it is recommended you modify your policies to encourage sick students to stay home. For many, this will mean changing notice, makeup and refund policies.
Ask all sick students to remain at home.
Interrogate students about being sick before allowing them in. Have you had a fever in the last 24 hours? Have you had any other symptoms? Have you been around anyone who is known to have been exposed to this?
As with student policies, we do not want sick staff in the building. It is recommended you review and modify sick pay and related policies.
Personal items in public spaces should be limited as much as possible.
Studios should consider if doubles or other partner work (such as partner acro) is appropriate during this pandemic.
Studios should review their bloodborne pathogens protocols. This virus may be passed via blood. Studios need to pay more attention to cuts and blood during this pandemic.
During this pandemic, avoid sharing of apparatus as much as possible.
Consider giving more time between classes to allow for disinfection.
For the duration of this pandemic, you are advised to do the following:
Limiting your exposure to non-students can reduce your risk of spreading the disease. Consider closing to non-student visitors.
Consider closing classes for those most at risk: The elderly and those with autoimmune diseases.
As of this time, the best single thing studios can do to help prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 disease is to step up your sanitation protocols. Properly disinfecting your studio is paramount to preventing your studio from being a ground-zero for this infection.
SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 is now considered a pandemic, and disinfection should be done much more frequently. How frequently depends on how high the risk is in your area.
Area | High Risk | Low Risk |
Bathrooms should be disinfected using a bleach and water solution | Every 1-2 hours | Every 3 hours |
Floors should be disinfected using a bleach and water solution or approved disinfectant | Every 2-3 hours | Every 4 hours |
High-contact areas (light switches, door knobs, stereo, sign-in device, etc.) | Every 1-2 hours | Every 3 hours |
Equipment used by clients | Between each user | Between each class |
Mats | Between each user | Between each class |
It is recommended that ALL studios ask everyone to wash their hands when entering the studio, after coughing/sneezing, after using the bathroom and after class. Hands should be washed vigorously, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
Ask everyone to clean their cell phone and computer keyboards before bringing it into the building.
It is recommended that all “High Touch,” difficult to clean items be temporarily removed from studios. This includes:
These procedures are for the current SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of these procedures are known to shorten the life of aerial equipment or components. When the effect is known, it is noted here. When in doubt, contact the equipment’s manufacturer for specific information.
During this pandemic, the sharing of equipment between clients should be minimized or eliminated.
If you are unable to properly disinfect your apparatus between classes and at the end of the night, consider removing those apparatus from your studio during this pandemic.
Not all materials are compatible with the chemicals we want to use to treat them. While we can’t answer every compatibility issue in this document, below is a table of common materials and common cleaning agents, as well as the known issues between them.
Chemical\Material | Nylon | Polyester | Cotton |
Acetic Acid 0-25% (vinegar)* | Not Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
Sodium Hypochlorite (Household Bleach) | Not Compatible | Compatible | Not Compatible |
Hydrogen Peroxide | Not Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
Amyl Alcohol* | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
Benzyl Alcohol* | Compatible | Not Compatible | Compatible |
Butyl Alcohol* | Not Compatible | Unknown | Unknown |
Diacetone Alcohol* | Compatible | Not Compatible | Unknown |
Ethyl Alcohol | Compatible | Compatible | Compatible |
Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) | Not Compatible | Compatible | Semi-Compatible |
Ammonia* | Semi-Compatible | Not Compatible | Unknown |
In a test conducted by Steven Santos on 3-13-2020, nylon fabric was soaked in isopropyl alcohol for approximately 6 minutes, then pulled to destruction. The control sample broke at 2185lbf, the isopropyl alcohol soaked sample broke at 873 lbf.
It should also be noted that while some testing has been done on single exposure, no one has ever done any long-term testing of what effect repeated applications of these heavy-duty disinfectants will have on fabrics, ropes and other soft goods. The best advice we can offer is to step up your inspections of these apparatus, and plan for them to have a (much) shorter service life to them.
Ethyl alcohol, also called ethanol, can be purchased at a pharmacy. NOTE: Studies have not been performed that investigate the use of alcohol designed for consumption for decontamination. Purchase your ethyl alcohol from a pharmacy, not a liquor store. The added ingredients and sugars in alcohol for consumption may likely complicate disinfection.
When using denatured alcohol, pay close to the denaturing chemicals. Many of them can be toxic if sprayed into a mist or gotten on the skin. Read the label and MSDS sheet before using!
* The products denoted with asterisks (*) are not specifically mentioned in the EPA’s list of disinfectants used for SARS-CoV-2. This does not necessarily mean that they will not be effective, but they also have not been proven to be effective either.
What you use to disinfect mats and how often you disinfect will depend on the risk in your area and the risk you assess with students of spreading the virus. If there is a higher risk, you need to disinfect more frequently. The following guidelines will tell you how to safely disinfect your mats.
Mats should be disinfected using either an alcohol-based or approved mat disinfectant. While bleach and water can disinfect a mat, it will also damage the vinyl and may damage the underlying foam. If you have a confirmed case, it may be worth using the bleach and water. If not, mat disinfectants sold by most mat manufacturers and gym supply companies is the best thing to use.
Carpet bonded foam may be sprayed with alcohol. Be aware that this requires substantial amounts of alcohol, as the carpet must be saturated with alcohol for at least 2 minutes to kill the virus. The carpet will take time to properly dry after this.
Carpet bonded foam may be disinfected using a steam cleaner set to the proper temperature (see the machine’s instructions). Be aware that this requires substantial time to properly dry afterwards.
Carpet bonded foam may be disinfected using a commercial carpet disinfectant. Most of these require the use of a carpet cleaning machine. Be aware that this requires substantial time to properly dry afterwards.
As a porous surface, these will be more difficult to disinfect than a vinyl-covered mat.
Aerial fabrics can be surface disinfected by spraying liberally with a compatible alcohol or other approved disinfecting chemical between uses. The correct alcohol does not typically degrade the strength of aerial fabrics; however using a non-compatible alcohol can be detrimental to the safety of the equipment. Alcohols in general are known to discolor some aerial fabric.
According to research for the OSU Center for Infectious Disease, using alcohol greater than 60% or Lysol/quaternary ammonia-based cleaner is effective in killing the virus. The fabric surface should be coated and have at least 10-15 minutes of contact time with the cleaner for it to be disinfected. This means the fabric should take no less than 10-15 minutes to dry from being sprayed and ideally in between uses.
Aerial fabrics should be washed at the end of each day with a front loading washing machine and your normal washing detergent. In high risk areas, swap fabrics for clean fabrics between each user.
UV Stabilized Nylon 6,6 and polyester aerial fabrics may benefit from hanging in the sun to dry. Be aware that Nylon 6 fabric will degrade quickly in sunlight.
Be aware that the use of steam is NOT recommended for disinfecting aerial fabrics. Steam is known to degrade the strength of at least some aerial fabrics.
Most bar apparatuses can be surface disinfected by spraying with alcohol or another approved cleaning chemical between uses. The alcohol will degrade the cloth tape used on the apparatus, and it can discolor cloth components (such as trapeze elbows). Plan to inspect/repair/replace the cloth tape on a more frequent basis during this pandemic, and plan to replace the elbow covers after the pandemic ends. Ropes may also be disinfected using a steam cleaner set to an appropriate temperature.
Rope apparatus can generally be surface disinfected using an alcohol spray or other approved chemical. When possible, the surface of the rope should be steam cleaned at the end of the night and allowed to dry overnight.[i]
Juggling equipment should be wiped down with an approved disinfectant after each use and at the end of the night using an approved chemical.
Balance equipment should be wiped down with an approved disinfectant after each use and at the end of the night using an approved chemical.
Poles are commonly cleaned using alcohol. Given the difficulty in keeping the pole wet for a full 2 minutes, consider using other spray or cleaning products that do not have this requirement between clients. You will then need to remove the residue with alcohol as you normally clean a pole to remove any residue from the other cleaning product.
You can also use a pole steam cleaner; there are steam cleaners specifically made for poles. If you have a pure stainless steel or brass pole such as a Pole Danzer steam cleaning is perfectly safe. If you have a coated pole, such as those from XPole or Platinum Stages it may affect the coated finish of the pole.
Owners should speak to the manufacturer of your pole about any cleaning product you are using on them.
How you disinfect your straps will depend on what they are made of. The stitching in straps is similar to the stitching in climbing gear: They will suffer from the same disintegration caused by certain cleaning products (such as bleach, etc.). Nylon (in general) and nylon stitching (in particular) is typically made of Nylon 6 and it will readily disintegrate with exposure to incompatible chemicals (see the material and chemical compatibility chart).
For most floor surfaces, including hardwood and Marley, Simple Green D Pro 5 Floor cleaner will disinfect the floor in a safe and effective manner. Check with your floors manufacturer if you have a different surface.
The legal and liability side of running a studio during this pandemic is extraordinarily messy. There is no clean answer. Each studio owner is strongly encouraged to speak with their attorney about this situation, including their liability in hosting open gyms, classes and other functions.
Additional topics a studio owners should promptly discuss with their attorney include:
The liability issues, while not insurmountable, are considerable. If, as a studio owner, you cannot afford to discuss these with your attorney, closing may be your best option during this pandemic.
If you can’t afford to talk to a lawyer, it is OK to ask for them to look at this pro bono. As one lawyer put it “It is not nearly as obnoxious to ask a lawyer for free legal advice as it is to ask a performer. I give away a lot of legal advice in exchange for sandwiches and open gym time”. Lawyers will generally help where they can.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) places restrictions on the inquiries that an employer can make into an employee’s medical status, and the EEOC considers taking an employee’s temperature to be a “medical examination” under the ADA. The ADA prohibits employers from requiring medical examinations and making disability-related inquiries unless (1) the employer can show that the inquiry or exam is job-related and consistent with business necessity, or (2) the employer has a reasonable belief that the employee poses a “direct threat” to the health or safety of the individual or others that cannot otherwise be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.
Taking an employee’s temperature may be unlawful if it is not job-related and consistent with business necessity. The inquiry and evaluation into whether taking a temperature is job-related and consistent with business necessity is fact-specific and will vary among employers and situations. The EEOC’s position during a pandemic is that employers should rely on the latest CDC and state or local public health assessments to determine whether the pandemic rises to the level of a “direct threat.” The assessment by the CDC as to the severity of COVID-19 will provide the objective evidence needed for a medical examination. If COVID-19 coronavirus becomes widespread in the community, as determined by state or local health authorities or the CDC, then employers may take an employee’s temperature at work.
However, as a practical matter, an employee may be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus without exhibiting recognized symptoms such as a fever, so temperature checks may not be the most effective method for protecting your workforce.
We could find no precedent on if taking a client's temperature is legal or not.
You should send home all employees and clients who worked closely with that employee for a 14-day period of time to ensure the infection does not spread. Before the employee departs, ask them to identify all individuals who worked in close proximity (three to six feet) with them in the previous 14 days to ensure you have a full list of those who should be sent home. When sending the employees or clients home, do not identify by name the infected employee or you could risk a violation of confidentiality laws. You may also want to consider asking a cleaning company to undertake a deep cleaning of your affected workspaces. If you work in a shared office building or area, you should inform building management so they can take whatever precautions they deem necessary.
Take the same precautions as noted above. Treat the situation as if the suspected case is a confirmed case for purposes of sending home potentially infected employees. Communicate with your affected workers to let them know that the employee has not tested positive for the virus but has been exhibiting symptoms that lead you to believe a positive diagnosis is possible.
The financial impacts on studios, teachers and performers from this pandemic can not be overstated. Most studios run on razor-thin margins to begin with and the loss of weeks or months of income can be devastating. For performers and teachers, an entire season (and often the most profitable season) may be lost. The following are suggestions for trying to minimize the financial impacts of this pandemic on studios, teachers and performers. Please note, this section will be greatly expanded in the coming releases.
Talk to landlords about forgiving or delaying rent payments or greatly reducing rents during this pandemic. The longer this pandemic goes on, the further into a recession we may go. Many landlords will see this, and would rather have income from the units after the pandemic lifts, than units sitting empty potentially for long periods of time.
Talk to the utility companies about halting utility payments during the pandemic.
Openly and honestly communicate to clients about the financial impacts of this pandemic on the studio and its staff.
Look for other ways of making money. Video classes may keep you afloat during these tough times, or at least keep your community together to make restarting more practical.
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/coronaviruses
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
1: “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Frequently Asked Questions”. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
2: Kampf, G., Todt, D., Pfaender, S., and Steinmann, E. (2020). Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. The Journal of Hospital Infection, 104 (3). Retrieved from
https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext
3. “Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)--Fighting Products”. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://www.americanchemistry.com/Novel-Coronavirus-Fighting-Products-List.pdf
4. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Clean & Disinfect”. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html
5. Welch, D., Buonanno, M., Grilj, V., Shuryak, I., Crickmore, C., Bigelow, A. W., Randers-Pehrson, G., Johnson, G. W., and Brenner, D. J. (2018). Far-UVC light: A new tool to control the spread of airborne-mediated microbial diseases. Scientific Reports, 8 (2752). Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-21058-w
6. Duan, S. M., Zhao, X. S., Huang, J. J., Pi, G. H., Zhang, S. X., Han, J., Bi, S. L., Ruan, L., and Dong, X. P. (2003). Stability of SARS coronavirus in human specimens and environment and its sensitivity to heating and UV irradiation. Biomed Environ Sci, 16 (3). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14631830
7. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Protect Yourself”. Accessed March 15, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html
8. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Frequently Asked Questions about Biosafety and COVID-19”. Accessed March 15, 2020.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/biosafety-faqs.html
9. Lai, C., Shih, T., Ko, W., Tang, H., and Hsueh, P. (2020). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19): The epidemic and the challenges. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 55 (3). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924857920300674
10. Tindale, L., Coombe, M., Stockdale, J. E., Garlock, E., Wing Yin, V. L., Saraswat, M., Yen-Hsiang, B. L., Zhang, L., Chen, D., Wallinga, J., and Colijn, C. (2020 - preprint). Transmission interval estimates suggest pre-symptomatic spread of COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.03.20029983v1
11. Wei Zhang, Rong-Hui Du, Bei Li, Xiao-Shuang Zheng, Xing-Lou Yang, Ben Hu, Yan-Yi Wang, Geng-Fu Xiao, Bing Yan, Zheng-Li Shi & Peng Zhou (2020) Molecular and serological investigation of 2019-nCoV infected patients: implication of multiple shedding routes, Emerging Microbes & Infections, 9:1, 386-389, DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1729071
12. Xiaolu Tang, Changcheng Wu, Xiang Li, Yuhe Song, Xinmin Yao, Xinkai Wu, Yuange Duan, Hong Zhang, Yirong Wang, Zhaohui Qian, Jie Cui, Jian Lu, On the origin and continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2, National Science Review, , nwaa036, https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaa036
13. Wu Z, McGoogan JM. Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China: Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA. Published online February 24, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.2648
14 https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-19-Discharge-criteria.pdf
15. Moriarty LF, Plucinski MM, Marston BJ, et al. Public Health Responses to COVID-19 Outbreaks on Cruise Ships — Worldwide, February–March 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 23 March 2020. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6912e3
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A Resource from: the Circus and Aerial Safety Group www.Facebook.com/groups/circusandaerialsafety/
[a]Do you want this statistic in the new document? Is it still relevant?
[b]"stability on surfaces" would be more correct then "virus life". Although we can say "virus life cycle" or "virus survival". When you use a title: "Virus life..", for me it looks like you are saying they are alive. But virus are recognised as living beings. We say they are active or inactive.
[c]there is a new paper that changes everything: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01418-7
[d]You don't kill something that is not alive. You deactivate it. Break its infectious potential.
[e]I think you should focus on what can help for the circus environment. In my opinion this should be intended to focus on precautions and controlling spread in circus. Not to be a full review about COVID-19.
But remember, it's just my opinion, trying to help. I'm not specialised in virus, I'm just a biologist.
[f]airborne?
[g]there are studies with cotton cloth
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.07.009
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01418-7
[h]there is a first reported reinfection case, I'll find the paper and send you. Even WHO talked about it. But it is very rare to happen.
[i]Hey, I wanna help. I'm from Brazil and I'm writing a paper about COVID precautions for Circus. Are you having the consultancy from virologists for building this paper? I'm concerned with where you got the references for many recommendations whiting here. An example. WHO guidelines says that spray alcohol is not effective by it self, it's importante to first clean the dirty and then rub with alcohol.