New coronavirus remains in the air for hours, on surfaces for days: study
US researchers report the virus remains viable after someone sneezes or coughs for at least three hours
SARS-CoV-2 can remain viable and infectious in droplets in the air for hours and on surfaces up to days, according to a new study.
US scientists attempted to mimic the virus deposited from an infected person onto everyday surfaces in a household or hospital setting, such as through coughing or touching objects.
They used a device to dispense an aerosol that duplicated the microscopic droplets created in a cough or a sneeze.
The team from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health, then investigated how long SARS-CoV-2 remained infectious on these surfaces.
