The Covid-19 causing SARS-CoV-2 may linger on human skin for nine hours, according to a study. Published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, the study found that both, the coronavirus and the influenza A virus (IAV) were rapidly inactivated on skin with a hand sanitiser. The finding underscores the importance of hand washing or using a sanitiser to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The researchers noted that the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on human skin remains unknown.
The researchers wrote in the journal they evaluated the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and IAV, mixed with culture medium or upper respiratory mucus, on human skin surfaces. They said, “We generated a model that allows the safe reproduction of clinical studies on the application of pathogens to human skin and elucidated the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on the human skin.” The researchers also evaluated the disinfection effectiveness on skin of 80 per cent ethanol against SARS-CoV-2 and IAV.
The study found that SARS-CoV02 and IAV were inactivated more rapidly on skin surfaces than on other surfaces such as stainless steel, glass and plastic. Scientists said the survival time was significantly longer, 9 hours, for the Covid-19 virus than for IAV.
They wrote in the journal, “The nine hour survival of SARS-CoV-2 on human skin may increase the risk of contact transmission in comparison with IAV, thus accelerating the pandemic.”
