Question: How long can coronavirus live on surfaces?

Answer: A new study was released yesterday exploring how long SARS-CoV-2 can live on surfaces and in the air. The study is not yet peer reviewed, so we should view the results with some skepticism. That said, the study found that “viable virus could be detected in aerosols [e.g. the air] up to 3 hours post aerosolization, up to 4 hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to 2–3 days on plastic and stainless steel.” Even if we have skepticism with this study, another recent study of other types of coronaviruses like SARS and MERS also show that it can stay viable on surfaces for extended periods of time. These results indicate that air and surface transmission of the virus is plausible and remind us of the vulnerability of virus spread in hospital settings, households, and group gatherings. Please be sure to use good cleaning products (bleach!) and keep washing your hands! Try not to touch your face (so difficult).