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Surface Life of Coronavirus

The coronavirus or Covid-19 is a serious pandemic, but information about many aspects  of this disease  has been scarce. Below are the lifespan times  calculated by "according to a new study performed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, UCLA and Princeton University."

 

Substance Time 
Air 3 hours
Cooper 4 hours
Cardboard 24 hours
Stainless Steel 2-3 days
Plastic 3 days

 

"The results provide key information about the stability of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, and suggests that people may acquire the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. The study information was widely shared during the past two weeks after the researchers placed the contents on a preprint server to quickly share their data with colleagues," the National Institutes of Health reports.

The report goes on to explain:

 

The scientists highlighted additional observations from their study:

  • If the viability of the two coronaviruses is similar, why is SARS-CoV-2 resulting in more cases? Emerging evidence suggests that people infected with SARS-CoV-2 might be spreading virus without recognizing, or prior to recognizing, symptoms. This would make disease control measures that were effective against SARS-CoV-1 less effective against its successor.
  • In contrast to SARS-CoV-1, most secondary cases of virus transmission of SARS-CoV-2 appear to be occurring in community settings rather than healthcare settings.  However, healthcare settings are also vulnerable to the introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2, and the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols and on surfaces likely contributes to transmission of the virus in healthcare settings.

The findings affirm the guidance from public health professionals to use precautions similar to those for influenza and other respiratory viruses to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2:

 

 

 

 

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