Wash your clothes
Clothes should be washed regularly to prevent the spread of Covid-19, especially after people go outside, according to the new rules.
Scientists have seen “some evidence” that the virus can stay on fabrics for several days, the new guidance reveals.
The updated advice applies to people spending time with others outside their homes, and to those returning to work.
“Wash your clothes regularly,” the guidance says. “There is evidence that the virus can stay on fabrics for a few days, although usually it is shorter, so if you are working with people outside your household wash your clothes regularly.
“Hand sanitiser should be carried when travelling and applied where available outside the home, especially when entering a building and following contact with surfaces.”
The previous guidance on washing clothes applied only to homes with coronavirus cases.
According to NHS guidelines on how to prevent the spread of infection, everyone should wash their hands after handling dirty laundry.
All underwear, towels and household linen should be washed at 60C (140F) or at 40C (104F) with a bleach-based laundry product.
A number of scientific studies have examined how long Covid-19 can live on different surfaces, with varied conclusions.
In the United States, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted that the virus may remain viable for hours to days on soft surfaces including clothing.
Scientists at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that the virus only survives for up to three hours after being coughed out into the air. But the study found that the virus survives for up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces.
The World Health Organisation estimates the lifetime of the disease is between a few hours and a few days.