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Australia’s national scientific agency, CSIRO, found that SARS-Cov-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can survive much longer than we thought. The virus can remain infectious on surfaces such as banknotes, phone screens, and stainless steel for 28 days.
Previously, laboratory tests had found that SARS-Cov-2 can survive 2-3 days on banknotes and glass, and up to six days on plastic and stainless steel. However, CSIRO found the virus to be “extremely robust”: it survived for 28 days on smooth surfaces when kept at 20 degrees Celsius and in the dark.
This means that the virus can survive much longer than the influenza virus, since the latter can survive under the same circumstances for 17 days. But some experts don’t see the finding as threatening as you might think.
“When we increased the temperature, the survival of the virus was certainly shortened. So, up to 40 degrees Celsius, the virus generally survived less than 24 hours, ”said Shane Riddell, principal investigator at CSIRO.
SARS-Cov-2 also stayed longer on smooth, non-porous surfaces rather than on porous materials like fabric. With porous materials, the virus could not survive more than 14 days.
This is what you can do
From studies conducted by CRISO, we have learned that it can spread and stay longer on surfaces such as banknotes and touch screens if these surfaces are around 20 degrees Celsius. However, the experiments were carried out in a dark room with stable temperatures, so the virus may not do as well in the real world.
Still, the results highlight the need to wash your hands regularly. This should also be a reminder to avoid touching your face to minimize the risk of infection, especially when handling cash. While you’re at it, avoid using cash if you can, and regularly clean your credit and debit cards.
As for their touchscreens, both Apple and Samsung have device cleaning guides that you can refer to if you want to safely disinfect your devices. I recommend that you read the guides as using the wrong product will not be good for your devices.
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