US National Institutes of Health: "COVID-19 Virus Can Survive in Air for 3 Hours"

Survival on Copper Surface for 4 Hours, Cardboard for 24 Hours, Plastic up to 3 Days
Possible Transmission through Shared Items...Disinfect Frequently Touched Objects

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced research findings indicating that the virus causing COVID-19 can survive in the air for up to 3 hours. It is also known to survive on plastic surfaces for up to 3 days, highlighting the need for thorough hygiene not only through personal mask use but also regarding shared items.

On the 17th (local time), a new study conducted by American scientists from NIH, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Princeton University, and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) revealed that COVID-19 can survive in the air for up to 3 hours. COVID-19 spreads by floating in the air as aerosolized liquid particles, which are much smaller than droplets expelled by an infected person's cough or sneeze.

It was also confirmed that the virus can survive for extended periods on inanimate surfaces. According to NIH, the COVID-19 virus can survive up to 4 hours on copper surfaces, 24 hours on cardboard, and up to 2 to 3 days on plastic surfaces. This confirms that the virus can spread not only through airborne contamination but also by touching contaminated shared items. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, issued by the Massachusetts Medical Society.

NIH stated, "Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 should be the same as those for influenza and other respiratory viruses," and added, "Frequently touched objects and surfaces should be disinfected with sprays or wet wipes."

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