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The discovery reinforces the need for frequent hand washing to combat the Covid-19 pandemic
The coronavirus remains active on human skin for nine hours, five times longer than the flu virus, according to a group of Japanese researchers, a finding that demonstrates the need for frequent hand washing to combat the Covidien pandemic. 19.
By comparison, the pathogen that causes the flu survives on human skin for about 1.8 hours, according to the study published this month in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
“The 9-hour survival of SARS-CoV-2 [o vírus que causa a covid-19] on human skin may increase the risk of contact transmission compared to IAV [vírus da gripe A], thus accelerating the pandemic ”, reports the study.
The research team examined the skin obtained at necropsies, approximately one day after death.
Both the coronavirus and the flu virus become inactive within 15 seconds with the application of ethanol, used in hand sanitizers.
“The increased survival of SARS-CoV-2 in the skin increases the risk of transmission by contact. However, hand hygiene can reduce that risk,” the study noted.
The study supports the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to wash your hands regularly to limit transmission of the virus. Nearly 40 million people have been infected worldwide since the new coronavirus appeared in China late last year.
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