How long does the SARSCoV2 coronavirus survive on surfaces and what do we use to disinfect them?

The new coronavirus has proven to be quite contagious, because on average an infected person infects 2 to 3 additional people. As with most respiratory diseases, it is already known that with Covid-19, the virus is transmitted through the air. The infected person spreads it through coughing, which another person or he inhales or transmitted through contact with infected surfaces. Skin contact is not dangerous, touching the face is dangerous, i.e. eyes, nose and mouth. Like any virus, this one has its own specified “shelf life” on the surface he landed on. How long the virus will survive outside the host depends on several factors: type of surface, ambient temperature, humidity and the wind.

We were able to read several different findings online, but since the similarity between SARS and the new coronavirus is great, we can easily compare them on the topic of durability. Scientists have even found that the new coronavirus survives on certain surfaces even more time like the SARS virus. But let's go in order.

Non-porous and smooth surfaces are most pleasing to the coronavirus

Here is the most important thing to highlight Stainless Steel and polypropylene (the plastic from which almost everything is made) on which the virus can survive up to 3 days. He likes to live even on cardboard, where it should last around 24 hours. The worrying thing is that it can under favorable conditions the coronavirus lasts even longer. It was published last week in The Journal of Hospital Infection the study, indicating that the virus is at temperature 20 °C endured 2 days on steel, 4 days on wood and glass and 5 days on ceramics, plastics and iron. When they compared the durability of SARS, they found that it lasts about 8 hours on aluminum and latex.

Porous surfaces are less favorable for the survival of the virus

But even with porous surfaces it is still necessary implement prevention. Such surfaces are primarily paper banknotes, fabrics also hair. These surfaces are due to small holes in their structure catch small particles and prevent them from passing on to some extent. However, it is necessary to know that we can also get infected through these surfaces. Especially through money, because many other people had it in hand before us. The same goes for hair and clothes. If someone sneezes on them, them we have to wash.

Room temperature and high humidity are very favorable for the coronavirus

The new coronavirus is built from envelopes, which protects against external influences during human-to-human transmission. The coronavirus therefore survives the longest in calm atmosphere at room temperature. Whatever the shock, let it be sudden rise in temperature, low humidity or the presence of wind, dries up this protective envelope, causing the virus to die. This is also why viruses of respiratory diseases are most common at the most favorable time of the year.

What do we use to disinfect surfaces?

We have already written a lot about this, but let's be more specific now. Surfaces can be disinfected with several preparations. These should not be the same as for hand sanitiser, as they generally are too mild for disinfection of surfaces. The surface cleaning liquid should contain at least from 62 to 71% ethanol solution (pure alcohol). Surfaces can also be disinfected by use 0.5% hydrogen peroxide solution or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite solution.

All these preparations are strong enough to they disinfect the surface in about 15 seconds. However, it is recommended to let it be the preparation dries on its own on the surface. By then, the preparation will have destroyed most of the microbes, making infection no longer possible. But if we want the preparation to disinfect up to the advertised 99.9 % microbes, we have to let it take effect at least a few minutes (from 5 to 6 minutes).

In the meantime, you can wash your hands with soap, which does not kill germs, but does flushes effectively. Namely, excessive use of alcohol disinfectant it dries out the skin and cause it to come to cracks and potential infections through these.

Let's not touch the face!

If the virus does not enter the body through inhalation, the person infects it most commonly transmitted by touching your face. It is a habit that most of us are unconscious of. Something always itches on our face just when we don't want it to. However, let's try to get used to it we don't touch our faces. At least not before you are we do not wash our hands thoroughly. We do this whenever we have to grab a handle or touch something that others are touching.