The SARS-CoV-2 virus is spread by infected individuals exhaling aerosols that contain active virus cells that are inhaled by another person or land on high-contact surfaces. Once the virus is inhaled, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein on the lung cells functions as a receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. ACE2 normally converts angiotensin II (ANG II), a protein that is harmful to the lungs, into another molecule that counteracts the effects of ACE2. When ACE2 is occupied with SARS-CoV-2, ANG II will not be converted, resulting in damage to the lungs. Distancing six feet apart has become a standard guideline in preventing transmission of infectious diseases, SARS-CoV-2 virus droplets can reach up to six feet or more from their source. Masks are used to further control the spread of infection and protect the wearer. Additionally, disinfectants, or biocides, have shown to be the most effective at destroying the virus on high-contact surfaces. Biocides come in a variety of forms ranging from alcohols to aldehydes and function differently, but all achieve the same task of inactivating cells either by disruption of the virus-cell membrane or infiltration into the cell which causes protein degradation, resulting in cell death
