12. How long does the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 to survive or last on surfaces?
It’s not certain how long the virus survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses.
Research suggests that the virus may live on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days depending on:
- Temperature.
- Type of surface.
- The humidity of the environment.
Surfaces frequently touched with your own hands or other people’s hands are most likely to become contaminated, including:
- Tables.
- Phones.
- Handrails.
- Doorknobs.
- Credit cards.
- Countertops.
- Light switches.
- Faucet handles.
- Steering wheel.
- Cabinet handles.
- Elevator buttons.
- Packages that you receive in the mail may be contaminated, but because parcels generally take a few days to be delivered, the risk of spread is low.
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