There are less than 1 in 10,000 chances of catching COVID-19 on surfaces, according to a Monday update from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC made it clear that COVID-19 is a respiratory disease transmitted primarily through human interaction, but noted last spring that “it may be possible for a person to obtain COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that contains the virus. on it and then touching your mouth, nose or possibly your eyes. “
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The CDC website now cites several studies that “suggest that the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection via the fomite transmission route is low, and generally less than 1 in 10,000, meaning that each contact with a contaminated surface has less than 1 in 10,000 chances of causing an infection. “
Waiter cleaning the table outdoors (iStock)
The agency cites 2020 studies from the American Journal of Infection Control and Environmental Science & Technology Letters. Studies note that transmission across surfaces is less likely to be outdoors than indoors.
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The surface survival of COVID-19 on internal surfaces, including steel, glass and plastic, does not last more than three days, although “porous” surfaces may retain the virus for longer, according to the CDC. The agency notes that experimental conditions do not necessarily mimic real-world conditions.
Although cleaning products with disinfectants registered on the Environmental Protection Agency’s List N help to clean dirt and bacteria from surfaces, the CDC states that “there is little scientific support for the routine use of disinfectants” in indoor and outdoor community settings ” to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission “from surfaces.
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The agency recommends, however, that high-contact internal surfaces be disinfected within 24 hours when a COVID-19 box is traced to an indoor environment.