Shielding of Viruses such as SARS-Cov-2 from Ultraviolet Radiation in Particles Generated by Sneezing or Coughing: Numerical Simulations of Survival Fractions

See t.ly/YAUa — SARS-CoV-2 and other microbes within aerosol particles can be partially shielded from UV radiation. The particles refract and absorb light, and thereby reduce the UV intensity at various locations within the particle. Previously we demonstrated shielding in calculations of UV intensities within spherical approximations of SARS-CoV-2 virions within spherical particles approximating dried-to-equilibrium respiratory fluids. The purpose of this paper is to extend that work to survival fractions of virions (i.e., fractions of virions that can infect cells) within spherical particles approximating dried respiratory fluids, and to investigate the implications of these calculations for using UV light…