Resistance of SARS CoV-2 to Seawater

SARS CoV-2, which is the cause of Covid-19 disease, has become the only and most important agenda of the world due to its mortality and morbidity that globally affects the whole world. The virus has profoundly affected life all over the world. The lifestyles of people have changed due to the virus. This study is planned to understand how important sea water is in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The study aimed to determine whether there is a risk of sea water in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The effectiveness of seawater on SARS CoV-2 viability has been investigated in different dilutions of seawater in different time periods. Experiments were carried out in three different titrations of SARS CoV-2 in Vero cell lines. Viral replication has been investigated by detecting morphological changes occurring in cells, cell viability, and the RT-PCR method. Seawater has been found to be highly potent inhibitory on SARS CoV-2 about time and dose. Especially within 300 seconds, seawater has been found to inhibit viral replication up to 1/32 dilution. These results show that viral transmission through seawater is quite difficult for people swimming in the sea during the pandemic. Seawater-mediated spread of SARS-CoV-2 is out of the question. However, these results should not be interpreted as the prophylactic activity of saline against viruses, which are obligate intracellular parasites.