How easily does COVID-19 spread from contaminated surfaces or animals?
How easily does COVID-19 spread from contaminated surfaces or animals?
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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 doesn't easily spread from contaminated surfaces to humans. While it is not likely, it is still possible for the virus to spread through contaminated surfaces. Recent studies suggest that the more humid a region may be, the longer the virus may survive on surfaces. Another study found that the virus can remain on surfaces like plastic and steel for 48-72 hours, and for up to 24 hours on cardboard. If a person touches a contaminated surface with traces of the virus and then proceeds to touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, they could still become infected if the surface contains large amounts of the virus. Washing your hands for 20 seconds, avoiding touching your face, and cleaning surfaces often is an important step in stopping the potential spread of the virus. The virus that causes COVID-19 primarily spreads through close, person-to-person contact, not through surface contamination, so continuing to maintain six feet (two meters) of distance, wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask, and staying home as much as possible are the key steps in combatting the virus. The risk of contracting the virus from the surfaces of animals and pets is also considered to be low. The U.S. CDC noted in June 2020 that there is currently no evidence that animals have a significant role in spreading COVID-19 and the risk of animals spreading it to humans is low. However, more studies are needed to determine if and how a variety of animals might be impacted by the virus.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 doesn't easily spread from contaminated surfaces to humans. While it is not likely, it is still possible for the virus to spread through contaminated surfaces. Recent studies suggest that the more humid a region may be, the longer the virus may survive on surfaces. Another study found that the virus can remain on surfaces like plastic and steel for 48-72 hours, and for up to 24 hours on cardboard. If a person touches a contaminated surface with traces of the virus and then proceeds to touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, they could still become infected if the surface contains large amounts of the virus. Washing your hands for 20 seconds, avoiding touching your face, and cleaning surfaces often is an important step in stopping the potential spread of the virus. The virus that causes COVID-19 primarily spreads through close, person-to-person contact, not through surface contamination, so continuing to maintain six feet (two meters) of distance, wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask, and staying home as much as possible are the key steps in combatting the virus. The risk of contracting the virus from the surfaces of animals and pets is also considered to be low. The U.S. CDC noted in June 2020 that there is currently no evidence that animals have a significant role in spreading COVID-19 and the risk of animals spreading it to humans is low. However, more studies are needed to determine if and how a variety of animals might be impacted by the virus.
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What our experts say
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 doesn't easily spread from contaminated surfaces to humans. While it is not likely, it is still possible for the virus to spread through contaminated surfaces.
Recent studies suggest that the more humid a region may be, the longer the virus may survive on surfaces. Another study found that the virus can remain on surfaces like plastic and steel for 48-72 hours, and for up to 24 hours on cardboard. If a person touches a contaminated surface with traces of the virus and then proceeds to touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, they could still become infected if the surface contains large amounts of the virus. Washing your hands for 20 seconds, avoiding touching your face, and cleaning surfaces often is an important step in stopping the potential spread of the virus. The virus that causes COVID-19 primarily spreads through close, person-to-person contact, not through surface contamination, so continuing to maintain six feet (two meters) of distance, wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask, and staying home as much as possible are the key steps in combatting the virus.
The risk of contracting the virus from the surfaces of animals and pets is also considered to be low. The U.S. CDC noted in June 2020 that there is currently no evidence that animals have a significant role in spreading COVID-19 and the risk of animals spreading it to humans is low. However, more studies are needed to determine if and how a variety of animals might be impacted by the virus.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 doesn't easily spread from contaminated surfaces to humans. While it is not likely, it is still possible for the virus to spread through contaminated surfaces.
Recent studies suggest that the more humid a region may be, the longer the virus may survive on surfaces. Another study found that the virus can remain on surfaces like plastic and steel for 48-72 hours, and for up to 24 hours on cardboard. If a person touches a contaminated surface with traces of the virus and then proceeds to touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, they could still become infected if the surface contains large amounts of the virus. Washing your hands for 20 seconds, avoiding touching your face, and cleaning surfaces often is an important step in stopping the potential spread of the virus. The virus that causes COVID-19 primarily spreads through close, person-to-person contact, not through surface contamination, so continuing to maintain six feet (two meters) of distance, wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask, and staying home as much as possible are the key steps in combatting the virus.
The risk of contracting the virus from the surfaces of animals and pets is also considered to be low. The U.S. CDC noted in June 2020 that there is currently no evidence that animals have a significant role in spreading COVID-19 and the risk of animals spreading it to humans is low. However, more studies are needed to determine if and how a variety of animals might be impacted by the virus.
Context and background
The public health community is continually learning about how the novel coronavirus spreads, and what transmission routes are most likely to make it spread. Because of this continual learning in the public health community, there has been public confusion around how easily SARS-CoV-2 spreads, and through which routes.
Confusion is particularly centered around the virus spreading from touching an infected surface and the virus spreading from airborne transmission. Person-to-person spread is the most well understood form of transmission as well as the main transmission route for COVID-19.
Such confusion has led to debate around the need to wipe down groceries, wear gloves, avoid petting neighborhood animals, and other steps to mitigate surface transmission. Though surface transmission is not thought to be the main way SARS-CoV-2 spreads, it is still a risk and should be responded to with precaution. One way to think about it is that virus spread from person-to-person is direct transmission, whereas virus stemming from a surface requires two intermediaries: 1) touching the virus on a surface, and then right after 2) touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. One is more direct and therefore more common, but both require caution.
The public health community is continually learning about how the novel coronavirus spreads, and what transmission routes are most likely to make it spread. Because of this continual learning in the public health community, there has been public confusion around how easily SARS-CoV-2 spreads, and through which routes.
Confusion is particularly centered around the virus spreading from touching an infected surface and the virus spreading from airborne transmission. Person-to-person spread is the most well understood form of transmission as well as the main transmission route for COVID-19.
Such confusion has led to debate around the need to wipe down groceries, wear gloves, avoid petting neighborhood animals, and other steps to mitigate surface transmission. Though surface transmission is not thought to be the main way SARS-CoV-2 spreads, it is still a risk and should be responded to with precaution. One way to think about it is that virus spread from person-to-person is direct transmission, whereas virus stemming from a surface requires two intermediaries: 1) touching the virus on a surface, and then right after 2) touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. One is more direct and therefore more common, but both require caution.
Resources
- COVID‑19 Strategy Update 14 April 2020 (WHO)
- General Business Frequently Asked Questions (U.S. CDC)
- What’s the Risk of Catching Coronavirus From a Surface? (NYT)
- How COVID-19 Spreads (U.S. CDC)
- CDC updates COVID-19 transmission webpage to clarify information about types of spread (U.S. CDC)
- Likelihood of survival of coronavirus in a respiratory droplet deposited on a solid surface (AIP)
- COVID-19 and Animals (U.S. CDC)
- What’s the risk that animals will spread the coronavirus? (Nature)
- Maximizing Fit for Cloth and Medical Procedure Masks to Improve Performance and Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Exposure, 2021 (U.S. CDC)
- COVID‑19 Strategy Update 14 April 2020 (WHO)
- General Business Frequently Asked Questions (U.S. CDC)
- What’s the Risk of Catching Coronavirus From a Surface? (NYT)
- How COVID-19 Spreads (U.S. CDC)
- CDC updates COVID-19 transmission webpage to clarify information about types of spread (U.S. CDC)
- Likelihood of survival of coronavirus in a respiratory droplet deposited on a solid surface (AIP)
- COVID-19 and Animals (U.S. CDC)
- What’s the risk that animals will spread the coronavirus? (Nature)
- Maximizing Fit for Cloth and Medical Procedure Masks to Improve Performance and Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Exposure, 2021 (U.S. CDC)
