Royal Society Publishing has recently published a special issue of Interface Focus entitled Coronavirus and surfaces organised by Mohan Edirisinghe. The articles can be accessed directly at https://royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rsfs/2022/12/1 There is also a blog post at https://royalsociety.org/blog/2021/12/coronavirus-and-surfaces/

A print version is also available at the special price of $35.00 per issue from Debbie.vaughan@royalsociety.org

This issue highlights the role of different surfaces in the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It has been discovered that the virus can linger on surfaces for a very long time, helping facilitate transfer between people when surfaces are touched. The papers in the special issue shed light on how long the virus can survive on different surfaces and whether we can we use this information to tailor surface properties. For example, it is important to investigate whether surface porosity (the ability of liquids to pass through surfaces) can help, as well as whether the basic type of material (metal, ceramic, polymer) can have a significant effect. Understanding the factors that affect the survival of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on different surfaces can also come into play during the creation of packaging, however, when selecting materials, we need to consider issues like sustainability and the environment, which are becoming increasingly important at the present time. Cleaning protocols and standards for surfaces will also have to be modified and prescribed differently. A Headline Review on “Surface interactions and viability of coronaviruses” in the Journal of The Royal Society Interface in January 2021 will go hand-in-hand with the content of this special issue in defining the materials and products that should be used.