WHO says virus stays "alive":
~ 3 hours in an aerosolized form in some cases.
~ 24 hours of soft surfaces - i.e. cardboard
~ 48-72 hours on hard surfaces.
Heat and light tend to shorten its life.
This is an update on current thinking about COVID-19 on surfaces:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200317-covid-19-how-long-does-the-coronavirus-last-on-surfaceshttps://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltextVery interesting: Table I: Persistence of coronaviruses on different types of inanimate surfaces
While some issues have been put into better focus, there are some disturbing developments:
... the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, touching a surface or object with the virus and then touching one's own face "is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads".
This is somewhat worrying.
Also, when cleaning/wiping down surfaces note that it can take up to a minute for the disinfectant to work. So if you wipe down the handles of your shopping chart, wait a minute for it to work.
Also, as to what works best:
62-71% alcohol
0.5% hydrogen peroxide bleach
household bleach containing 0.1% sodium hypochlorite.
Less effective
0.05–0.2% benzalkonium chloride
0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate
(I would like to know which products use these but I do not know)
This information looks useful, unfortunately it is not presented in a very clear format.
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2Hand washing with soap and hot water for 20 seconds is still considered the best way to stop the spread.
However, unfortunately some research on SARS suggested that the most effective water temperature needed to kill the thing is 56°C or 132°F or higher and then it was only effective "..at a rate of about 10,000 viral particles every 15 minutes."
So plain rinsing with even very hot water is not as effective as a good hand wash with soap and hot water.
It is troubling that the virus can circulate in unfiltered air conditioning systems, even if it is only a concern for a couple of hours at the most.
When we buy groceries, we are leaving the non perishables isolated for 4 days. Still not sure what to do with fresh produce and items that need refrigeration.
Does this thing “live” longer on fresh produce? What impact does refrigeration have on it?