Mark Lennihan / AP
- As of April 1, there were 932,605 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 46,181 deaths around the world.
- A study by The New England Journal of Medicine from March 17 found the coronavirus lasted on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours, cardboard for up to 24 hours, and copper for up to four hours.
- Here are some things we interact with every day that could easily attract the virus.
- The solution is not to totally avoid touching things like groceries, phones, or elevator buttons — but take precautions.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
The coronavirus is mainly transmitted by droplets from the bodily fluids of people with the disease. The virus can survive this way on surfaces for a long time — which poses a challenge for everyday life.
Scientists still don't think surfaces are the main way the virus spreads, but it is possible to catch the virus by touching a surface with the virus there, then touching your face, according to the US CDC.
England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jenny Harries, told the BBC in March that the coronavirus can live on soft surfaces for 24 hours, and hard ones for 48 hours.
More recently, The Guardian reported on a new study by The New England Journal of Medicine from March 17. It found the coronavirus lasted on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours, cardboard for up to 24 hours, and copper for up to four hours.
Here are the objects to be wary of, and what to do minimize the chance of catching the coronavirus.
Groceries and packages
Mark Baker / AP
Harvard Medical School infectious disease epidemiologist and professor Dr. Julia Marcus told The Guardian there was a low risk of infection from groceries and delivered goods.
She said the transmission was possible if the deliverer was sick. The best practice was to be wary whenever something new entered your house and to wash your hands after dealing with it.
Cellphones
Julio Cortez / AP
According to Quartz, in 2019, the number of mobile phones in the world took over the global population.
Business Insider reported in March that a smartphone carries more germs and bacteria than a toilet seat — an obvious problem when a virus is spreading.
However, Dr. Sankar Swaminathan, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Utah School of Medicine, told Wire Cutter that phones aren't a big disease spreader unless they are often handed around from person to person.
On that front, AT&T recommended sharing photos online instead of passing a phone to a friend. It also recommended using Bluetooth devices, or hands-free headsets, to take calls so that the phone does not spend much time near your face.
To clean phones, Business Insider's Shida Feder recommended soap, water, and a damp microfiber cloth. Another option is to use a UV light device that kills germs.
Don't use alcohol or disinfectant, since these substances will damage the protective coating on phone screens.
Keys
Jake Liefer via Flickr
Since they are a metal surface, keys can host the coronavirus for 48 hours, according to the advice from Dr. Harries.
She suggested in some cases that it could be as long as 72 hours.
The best way to keep these clean is to wipe them down after using them with an alcohol solution containing at least 70% alcohol.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- One family's coronavirus nightmare at a Seattle-area nursing home shows how the nursing home industry could struggle to keep people safe
- 80% of COVID-19 patients experience 'mild' symptoms — but that likely still involves a fever and cough
- Photos show one of the first drive-thru coronavirus testing stations in the US, where people with a doctor's note get tested free
SEE ALSO: More people are under lockdown now than were alive during World War II
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