Quarantining tried-on clothes has no scientific basis, says expert

PLANS put forward by retailers to “quarantine” clothes after they have been tried on to prevent the spread of coronavirus have no proven scientific basis, according to an expert.

Instead, regular and thorough handwashing will need to become a habitual part of shopping to prevent transmission, Bill Keevil, professor of environmental healthcare at the University of Southampton, has suggested.

He said installing copper alloy surfaces on touch points, such as trolleys and door handles, could also cut infection rates as the metal has been found to kill similar viruses in minutes.

Previous research into viruses, such as flu, norovirus and coronavirus, found they can survive on hard surfaces for days, but it is unknown if they remain on fabrics.

“If people have washed their hands properly, you might argue that there shouldn’t be a transmission risk on to the fabrics.

“But people are now suggesting if you try on a garment and you don’t want it, that garment should be put into quarantine for several days before it’s then put back on to the shelves,” Prof Keevil told BBC Radio 4.

Fashion retailer Next has announced it will be quarantining both online and in-store returns for 72 hours, and fitting rooms will remain closed when non-essential shops reopen on June 15

Bookseller Waterstones has said it will put books into a 72-hour quarantine after they are handled by customers who do not make a purchase.

But Prof Keevil said no one has looked at the effects of the new coronavirus on fabrics or paper.

One study in the US showed it survived less than a day on cardboard but Prof Keevil said people are making “a big jump” in relating that to fabric as another absorbent material.