The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain emergence raised concerns that its enhanced infectivity is partly due to altered spread/contamination modalities. We therefore sampled high-contact surfaces and air in close proximity to patients verified as infected with Omicron strain, using identical protocols applied to sample patients positive to the original or Alpha strains. Cumulatively, for all three strains, viral-RNA was detected in 90/168 surfaces and 6/49 air samples (mean Ct=35.2±2.5). No infective virus was identified. No significant differences in prevalence were found between strains
Revisiting SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination by COVID-19 patients: The Omicron variant does not differ from previous strains