Do high-touch surfaces in public spaces pose a risk for influenza transmission? A virologic study during the peak of the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic in Geneva, Switzerland

In 2009, the influenza A(H1N1) virus caused the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century, lasting from April 2009 through August 2010.1 An estimated 151,700-575,400 people worldwide died of the virus.2 To characterize the epidemiology of the virus and advise public health policy makers, research focused on notorious hot spots for transmission, such as health care facilities, schools, and households with laboratory-confirmed cases. The possibility of infection through contact with virus on surfaces shortly before touching the nose or mouth was assessed by studying the survival of the virus on everyday objects, including bank notes. American Journal of Infection Control, 43 (12),1372–1373. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2015.07.012