**1. Introduction**

The causative agent of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), the Betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was for the first time isolated in Wuhan, China in December 2019, from a patient suffering from nonrecognizable acute pneumonia [1]. Subsequently, COVID-19 and the causative virus have spread to different regions of the globe, with the greatest number of caseloads being observed in the industrialized countries. Betacoronaviruses belong to the family Coronaviridae, which are enveloped viruses with single-stranded RNA genomes with positive polarity. These viruses are responsible for a wide range of infections in humans, primarily of the upper respiratory tract, including pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, etc. [2]. The primary route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is thought to be contact with oral-nasal droplets released from infected persons during coughing, sneezing, and talking [3]. The transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through food and water has not yet been well established. Studies on previous epidemics caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) have identified no cases of viral transmission

through food. Similarly, no cases of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infections via food have been identified [4]. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 is not recognized as a foodborne virus and the risk of transmission of COVID-19 through contaminated food is considered to be very low [4]. On the other hand, studies have demonstrated the presence of viral genetic material in the blood and anal swabs from human patients [5]. The fact that diarrhea is a symptom of COVID-19 raises concerns about possible transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via the fecal-oral route. Destite this, it is not yet clear that the fecal-oral route represents a significant transmission modality for this virus [6].

Fortunately, the lipid envelope of this virus renders it susceptible to a wide variety of disinfectants. As such, this virus is expected to be more susceptible to inactivation by microbicides in comparison to non-enveloped viruses with a similar route of transmission, such as norovirus, adenovirus, hepatitis A virus, etc. [7, 8]. Several physical agents, such as sunlight, high temperature, UV radiation, and gamma radiation, etc. also act as effective agents to inactivate the virus [9]. SARS-CoV-2 exhibits temperature sensitivity and can be inactivated within 5 minutes at 70°C [9]. Healthcare areas contain several types of high-touch environmental surfaces, including furniture, tables, chairs, and toilets, along with medical instruments, including stethoscopes, wheelchairs, incubators, etc. [10]. These environmental surfaces are vulnerable to contamination with SARS-CoV-2 shed from patients [11, 12].

Previous studies have confirmed that SARS-CoV-2 transmission is linked with close contact of infected and healthy individuals within a closed setting, such as exists in healthcare facilities and residential institutions, etc. [11]. The same considerations apply to settings outside of the healthcare arena, including temples, churches, mosques, local markets, and business centers, etc. [13].

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected to healthy individuals may be disrupted through disinfection of contaminated high-touch environmental surfaces. The survivability (persistence of infectivity) of SARS-CoV-2 informs the need for surface disinfection at an appropriate frequency. However, in areas where resources for regular disinfection and cleaning are limited, the guideline should be mandated for avoiding frequent touching of the face along with frequent hand washing to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission associated with surface contamination and transfer of virus from hands to susceptible mucous membranes of the eye, nose, and mouth.
