Transmission of COVID-19 from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented, but it is possible that the reason for this is due to gaps in research and contact tracing._ _There is limited research about the effectiveness of disinfecting public spaces, but researchers are working to determine whether or not spraying disinfectant will impact the amount of virus transmissions that occurs from people coming into contact with objects like water fountains, playground equipment, and hand rails. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still states that thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting indoor surfaces in public places is a best practice for preventing the spread of COVID-19. As it is possible to spread the virus through contaminated surfaces, thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces - not just spraying disinfectant - that humans touch in both public and private settings. However, it should be noted that spraying disinfectants in public places may be harmful to humans as exposure to disinfectant sprays can cause dangerous respiratory effects when inhaled. Other potential impacts are skin and eye irritation, potential corrosion, and some disinfectants might have a chemical (formaldehyde) that is known to cause cancer. Lastly, some chemical disinfectants are flammable, explosive, can generate toxic gases, and can potentially be harmful to the environment, so serious caution should be taken when spraying any of these disinfectants to large surface areas or for a prolonged period of time.

In some countries, measures have been taken to spray disinfectants into the air (both indoors and outdoors) or onto people to prevent virus spread. While widespread spraying has been effective at controlling illnesses spread by mosquitos (i.e. West Nile virus, dengue) or other insects, SARS-Cov-2 is spread directly from person to person. While disinfectants do kill SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, most experts agree that widespread spraying is likely ineffective in preventing virus spread. Spraying disinfectants into the air will not prevent virus spread from person to person via respiratory droplets (from coughing, sneezing, or talking). Because the SARS-Cov-2 virus lives within the body, spraying disinfectants onto people or encouraging people to gargle or drink disinfectants is also ineffective and can be very dangerous. In addition, spraying can cause breathing problems, skin irritation, burns, environmental pollution, and may be harmful to fish, birds, and other animals. Social distancing, face mask use, disinfecting “high touch” surfaces (i.e. door handles, handrails), and careful hand-washing are recommended to help prevent virus spread.