As reported on October 12, 2020, a study by scientists at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, published in Virology Journal, showed that SARS-CoV-2 is ‘extremely robust’ and survives for 28 days on smooth surfaces, including mobile phone screen and plastic currency. 20 °C, compared to 17-day survival for the flu virus. So, there is a high risk of transmission from paper currency, touchscreen devices, and grab handles and rails.
According to researchers, virus survival declined to less than a day at 40 0C on some surfaces. The Covid-19-causing coronavirus survives for longer in cooler weather, making it potentially harder to control in winter than summer. The study also helps to more accurately predict and mitigate the pandemic’s spread. The scientists also emphasised the need for good practices, such as regular hand washing and cleaning surfaces.
As per the report, the coronavirus transmits mostly through direct contact with an infected person, especially the virus-laden particles they emit while coughing, sneezing, speaking, singing, and even breathing. It also contaminates surfaces when these particles settle, creating so-called fomites that may also transmit the virus.
The researchers are of the view that SARS-CoV-2 spread via fomites is plausible, and analysed the coronavirus’s stability on a dozen surfaces and found it survived five-to-seven times long under cooler, less-humid spring/ fall conditions compared with the average temperature and humidity in summer.
The research involved drying the coronavirus in an artificial mucus on different surfaces, at concentrations similar to those reported in samples from infected patients, and then re-isolating the virus over a month. The research was also carried out in the dark as it was demonstrated that direct sunlight could rapidly inactivate the virus.
As per the study, stainless steel, polymer note, paper note, glass, and vinyl took 4.86 hours, 4.78 hrs, 5.39 hrs, 6.55 hrs, and 9.9 hrs respectively to achieve 90 per cent reduction in the amount of virus, present on the above-mentioned surfaces studied at 40 0C. The persistence on glass is an important finding, because touchscreen devices, such as mobile phones, bank ATMs, supermarket self-serve checkouts, and airport check-in kiosks are high touch surfaces which may not be regularly cleaned, and therefore, are prone to spread SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Courtesy: NDTV