Covid unlikely to infect from surfaces, say US health chiefs

THE coronavirus is primarily spread from person to person and not easily from surfaces or objects, the US government health agency has said in revised guidance that suggests reopening business and schools may be easier.

Catching the virus from delivery boxes or takeout food bags, for example, is highly unlikely “because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces”, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) writes. The same applies to schoolbooks or desks and to the workplace.

The virus travels mostly through the droplets a person produces when talking or coughing, the CDC website says.

“It may be possible that a person can get Covid-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes,” the website adds. “This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus.” The update from the CDC came despite past research suggesting the virus can live on surfaces for several hours, and expert guidance on how to disinfect objects.

Dr John Whyte, chief medical officer for the health website WEBMD, said the CDC’S update brought clarity and would help to reduce the public’s fears.

“Many people were concerned that by simply touching an object they may get coronavirus, and that’s simply not the case. Even when a virus may stay on a surface, it doesn’t mean that it’s actually infectious,” Dr Whyte said. “It doesn’t mean we stop washing hands and disinfecting surfaces. But it does allow us to be practical and realistic as we try to return to a sense of normalcy.”

However, the change to the CDC website, without formal announcement or explanation, concerned some virologists.

“A persistent problem in this pandemic has been lack of clear messaging from governmental leadership, and this is another unfortunate example of that trend,” said Angela Rasmussen, from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.