The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person. When someone who is infected coughs 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.
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
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.
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
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 after you visit the supermarket. If you have a weakened immune system, 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
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.
WebMD Medical Reference Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD on March 23, 2020
I bought a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket and got four meals out of it.
Instead of throwing the carcass away I put it and all the skin in a pot of water and simmered it to bring out the flavor in the bones.
When it was done simmering I took it out of the water to cool down. Then I picked off the bones whatever chicken was left and put the chicken back in the newly brewed broth.
When the broth was cooled down I poured it into plastic milk bottles that I had saved for recycling and then put the bottles in my freezer for future use as broth to make homemade chicken soup.
I got all I could get out of this $7.00 chicken and threw the carcass in the garbage.
Now all I need are fresh carrots, celery and pasta.
Doctors have been asking the public not to wear N95 masks unless you have the virus. By you wearing one to keep from getting sick is taking a mask away from a healthcare worker who desperately needs it to keep patients alive.
The rubber gloves is a good idea but really Galrad the healthcare workers need the masks You can't donate the one who wore but please think about not wearing another one.
I miss not being afraid to go the hospital if I have a heart attack or I break a leg or someone in my family is rushed to the hospital I won't be allowed to visit them.
Good idea to cut rolls of paper towels into the size of toilet paper however, if you have a septic tank you will regret putting paper towels in the toilet. Just sayin ......
OMG..........I am so sorry M4 that you are this sick
Up until today I stayed in the house, afraid to go in a store Yesterday my daughter picked up some groceries for me. I told her to take money out of my bank account because I don't want money that has been in the store registers to come into my house. That all worked fine but I forgot a couple things to ask her to get so today I took a chance and went out.
I tried to keep my distance from people but some are just ignorant about what is going on and they will walk close enough to bump into me.
I brought groceries into the house and immediately washed my hands. In the process of washing hands I paid attention to the steps I was taking. Soap, warm water, sing happy birthday. The next thing people should pay attention to is when you turn the faucet off do it with the back of your hand or use a paper towel to turn it off and then throw it in trash.
Ali: Why didn't you write me. It wasn't over for me. Why. Ali: I waited for you for seven years and now it's too late Noah: I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you every day for a year Ali: You wrote me? Noah: Yes. It wasn't over for me and it STILL isn't over
Believe it or not these two actually didn't get along with each other while making the movie. That's a pretty good "not getting along" kiss
secretagent09 Forum Posts (7,230)
RE: Last to post wins
So..............he's all MINE