https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d
How Long Does the Coronavirus Live on Surfaces? [image: photo of person spraying counter] <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d#> <?subject=How%20Long%20Does%20Coronavirus%20Live%20on%20Surfaces?&body=I%20visited%20WebMD%20and%20thought%20that%20you%20would%20be%20interested%20in%20the%20information%20below.%20%0Ahttps://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d%0A%20%20%20%0A%20To%20view,%20click%20on%20the%20address%20above%20or%20copy%20and%20paste%20it%20into%20your%20Web%20browser.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20LEARN%20MORE%20AT%20WEBMD%20-%20the%20nation%27s%20most%20trusted%20health%20and%20wellness%20resource.%0A%20https://www.webmd.com/%20%0A%20Copyright%202020%20WebMD,%20All%20rights%20reserved.%20%0A%20WebMD%20does%20not%20provide%20medical%20advice,%20diagnosis%20or%20treatment.> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d#> <?subject=How%20Long%20Does%20Coronavirus%20Live%20on%20Surfaces?&body=I%20visited%20WebMD%20and%20thought%20that%20you%20would%20be%20interested%20in%20the%20information%20below.%20%0Ahttps://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d%0A%20%20%20%0A%20To%20view,%20click%20on%20the%20address%20above%20or%20copy%20and%20paste%20it%20into%20your%20Web%20browser.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20LEARN%20MORE%20AT%20WEBMD%20-%20the%20nation%27s%20most%20trusted%20health%20and%20wellness%20resource.%0A%20https://www.webmd.com/%20%0A%20Copyright%202020%20WebMD,%20All%20rights%20reserved.%20%0A%20WebMD%20does%20not%20provide%20medical%20advice,%20diagnosis%20or%20treatment.> <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d> IN THIS ARTICLE - What You Can Do <https://www.webmd.com/lung/how-long-covid-19-lives-on-surfaces?ecd=wnl_spr_032920&ctr=wnl-spr-032920_nsl-LeadModule_cta&mb=EsK%2fv1kKdCX87D0lUcGhkRJZpsk9%40mj56yEpHjCHFE8%3d#2-2> *Get the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic here. <https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200124/coronavirus-2020-outbreak-latest-updates>* The coronavirus <https://www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus> that causes COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person. When someone who is infected coughs <https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/overview> or sneezes, they send droplets containing the virus into the air. A healthy person can then breathe in those droplets. You can also catch the virus if you touch a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes. *Coronavirus: What you Need to Know <https://www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus>* The coronavirus can live for hours to days on surfaces like countertops and doorknobs. How long it survives depends on the material the surface is made from. Here's a guide to how long coronaviruses -- the family of viruses that includes the one that causes COVID-19 -- can live on some of the surfaces you probably touch on a daily basis. Keep in mind that researchers still have a lot to learn about the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. For example, they don't know whether exposure to heat, cold, or sunlight affects how long it lives on surfaces. Metal Examples: doorknobs, jewelry, silverware 5 days Wood Examples: furniture, decking 4 days Play Current Time0:00 / Duration Time0:00 Mute Fullscreen Progress: 0% Control Spread of Coronavirus As COVID-19 spreads, what habits should we practice in our daily lives to avoid infecting others? WebMD’s Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, speaks with U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams to address common questions and misinformation about this virus. ABOUT Plastics Examples: packaging like milk containers and detergent bottles, subway and bus seats, backpacks, elevator buttons 2 to 3 days Stainless steel Examples: refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles 2 to 3 days Cardboard Examples: shipping boxes 24 hours Copper Examples: pennies, teakettles, cookware 4 hours Aluminum Examples: soda cans, tinfoil, water bottles 2 to 8 hours Glass Examples: drinking glasses, measuring cups, mirrors, windows Up to 5 days Ceramics Examples: dishes, pottery, mugs 5 days Paper The length of time varies. Some strains of coronavirus live for only a few minutes on paper, while others live for up to 5 days. Food Coronavirus doesn't seem to spread through exposure to food. Still, it's a good idea to wash fruits and vegetables under running water before you eat them. Scrub them with a brush or your hands to remove any germs that might be on their surface. Wash your hands <https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/cold-prevention-hand-washing> after you visit the supermarket. If you have a weakened immune system <https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/immune-system-function>, you might want to buy frozen or canned produce. Water Coronavirus hasn't been found in drinking water. If it does get into the water supply, your local water treatment plant filters and disinfects the water, which should kill any germs. Coronaviruses can live on a variety of other surfaces, like fabrics and countertops. *Coronavirus Transmission: What You Need to Know <https://www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus-transmission-overview>* What You Can Do To reduce your chance of catching or spreading coronavirus, clean and disinfect all surfaces and objects in your home and office every day. This includes: - Countertops - Tables - Doorknobs - Bathroom fixtures - Phones - Keyboards - Remote controls - Toilets Use a household cleaning spray or wipe. If the surfaces are dirty, clean them first with soap and water and then disinfect them. Keep surfaces clean, even if everyone in your house is healthy. People who are infected may not show symptoms, but they can still shed the virus onto surfaces. After you visit the drugstore or supermarket, or bring in takeout food or packages, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water. Do the same thing after you pick up a delivered newspaper.
