Jubilee Post News & Views
Special Desk
Virus responsible for Covid-19 can remain infectious on surfaces such as banknotes, phone screens and stainless steel up to 28-days, researchers have found in Australia.
Some criticised the study as it could spread panic and some have appreciated as this could help protect people better. But the findings from Australia’s national science agency suggest SARS-Cov-2 can survive for far longer than thought till now.
The experiment was conducted in the dark. UV light has already been shown to kill the virus. Some experts have also thrown doubt on the actual threat posed by surface transmission in real life. The coronavirus is mostly transmitted when people cough, sneeze or talk.
But it is also possible someone could get Covid-19 by touching infected surfaces such as metal or plastic, according to the US Centers for Disease Control. Previous laboratory tests have found that SARS-Cov-2 can survive for two to three days on bank notes and glass, and up to six days on plastic and stainless steel, although results vary.
Research from Australian agency CSIRO found the virus was extremely robust, surviving for 28 days on smooth surfaces such as glass found on mobile phone screens and both plastic and paper banknotes, when kept at about room temperature, and in the dark. In comparison, the flu virus can survive in the same circumstances for 17 days.
Also Read : India covid count 71- lakh plus
Also Read : 150-million people may be in extreme poverty due to Covid: World Bank
The study, published in Virology Journal, also found SARS-Cov-2 survived for less time at hotter temperatures than cooler temperatures; it stopped being infectious within 24 hours at 40C on some surfaces. It also stayed longer on smooth, non-porous surfaces than on porous materials such as cloth, which was found not to carry any infectious virus past 14 days.
Establishing how long the virus really remains viable on surfaces enables us to more accurately predict and mitigate its spread, and do a better job of protecting our people, said CSIRO chief executive Dr Larry Marshall.
