Japanese researchers have shown that the coronavirus survives on our skin for 9 hours. In comparison, a flu virus survives 1.8 hours. Washing your hands often really helps.
The study was published in the scientific journal Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal. “The nine-hour survival time of SARS-CoV-2 on human skin increases the risk of contact transmission compared to the flu virus, accelerating the pandemic,” say the Japanese researchers.
Investigation on corpses
The scientists investigated the survival time on the skin of people who had recently died. Both the coronavirus and the flu virus are shut down within 15 seconds when using ethanol, which is contained in hand gels. The longer the new coronavirus remains on the skin, the greater the chance of spreading, the researchers said. “Hand hygiene can reduce that risk,” say the scientists.
Nearly 40 million people worldwide have been infected with the corona virus since the outbreak in China at the end of last year.
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