Researchers from the Japanese University of Kyoto focused on testing the resistance of SARS-CoV-2 virus and influenza. Subsequently, the coronavirus was shown to last more than nine hours on human skin under ideal conditions. In contrast, influenza A virus lasts less than two hours on the skin.
“Our discovery proves that SARS-COV-2 does indeed have a higher risk of contact transmission than influenza, not only because of the longer survival of the virus, but also because of its greater stability on the skin,” the authors warned in a study published in the journal. Clinical Infectious Diseases.
In addition, the study showed that when coronavirus was mixed with mucus in the upper respiratory tract, which was supposed to release the virus during coughing and sneezing, the virus even survived for 11 hours.
However, according to research, both viruses can be destroyed within 15 seconds using disinfection with 80% ethanol. Therefore, regular hand washing and disinfection can be considered a very effective weapon.
According to experts, the persistent maintenance of coronavirus on human skin increases the risk of infection transmission through contact and thus exacerbates the whole pandemic. For this reason, doctors and experts around the world are urging that hand hygiene is extremely important at this time.
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