Protection is in your hands

Coronavirus May Stay for Weeks on Banknotes and Touchscreens

COVID-19 causing virus lasts for 10 days longer than Influenza on some surfaces. Lower temps, glass, stainless steel and paper banknotes give virus longer life.

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can survive for up to 28 days on common surfaces including banknotes, glass – such as that found on mobile phone screens – and stainless steel.

The research, undertaken at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong, found that SARS-CoV-2:

• survived longer at lower temperatures
• tended to survive longer on non-porous or smooth surfaces such as glass, stainless steel and vinyl, compared to porous complex surfaces such as cotton
• survived longer on paper banknotes than plastic banknotes.

Results from the study The effect of temperature on persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on common surfaces  was published in Virology Journal.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said surface survivability research builds on the national science agency’s other COVID-19 work, including vaccine testing, wastewater testing, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) manufacture and accreditation, and big data dashboards supporting each state.

The research was published on Blumberg this week.

The Transmission Risk is a ‘Big Surprise’

They found the longer survival time of SARS-CoV-2 than seasonal flu on banknotes “of particular significance, considering the frequency of circulation and the potential for transfer of viable virus both between individuals and geographic locations.” The persistence on glass is an important finding, given that 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 pose a transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2, the researchers said in the paper.

The finding bodes badly for controlling Covid-19 during the Northern Hemisphere winter, said virologist Juergen Richt, who led the research.

“If we couldn’t control it very well during the summer, we are in for a big surprise,”

Richt said in an interview.

Download the full article from Bloomberg here >>>>Can You Catch Covid From Cash_ ACDP Scientists Say Virus Can Persist for 4 Weeks