Scientists have found out what the risk of contracting a dangerous disease is by touching the goods in the store or taking change.
One of the scariest things about the coronavirus pandemic is that almost nothing is known about it. This pathogen is completely new and has been studied for only a few months. And recently, Hong Kong scientists published a report in The Lancet on how long the virus lives on different surfaces and how effective household disinfectants are at controlling it.
As it turns out, the surface material really matters. All studies were carried out at room temperature and found out:
on paper – plain or cigarette, for example, on a receipt from a store, the virus lives for less than three hours;
on thick cardboard – about a day;
on treated wood and cotton fabric (on a jacket, for example) – about a day, disappearing the next day;
on the outer layer of the surgical mask, the virus can survive for a week. “Therefore, it is important to remove the mask without touching its outer surface,” the South China Morning Post quotes a virologist. Queen Peyris… – It is very likely that the virus will get on your hands, and then you will bring it to the mucous membrane of the eye if you touch your face;
on glass and banknotes, the infection lasts up to four days;
on plastic (a computer or laptop keyboard, a bottle of milk or kefir) and the virus became active for about 72 hours. The exception is copper surfaces, on which the coronavirus dies in 24 hours.
“It is theoretically possible that the virus will live on cans for a while and you can get infected by touching them. To protect yourself, it is enough to follow the rules of hygiene, wash your hands as often as possible and not touch your face with dirty hands, ”says Leo Pun Litman, Head of Laboratory Research, Hong Kong University.
In addition, experts advise those who are worried about the contagiousness of products to leave them in a bag for a day, and only then unpack. This will significantly reduce the risk of infection.
“But the most important thing is to wash your hands after that,” scientists repeat over and over again.
As for household disinfectants, as it turned out, they are quite effective in coping with the coronavirus: ordinary bleach will easily destroy it. How exactly to process surfaces, you can read HERE.
By the way
Do I need to disinfect my phone? Sure! Dr. Karl Krushelnitsky, a physician and biotechnology expert, advises thinking of your phone as your third hand.
“Germs from your hands get onto your phone and then onto your face when you answer the call. The phone should be wiped with alcohol wipes at least once a day, ”he advises.