Covid-19: find out how long the virus stays on your iPhone
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How long does Sars-CoV-2 last on surfaces like iPhone or smartphone? A study responds.
The Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus is transmitted through droplets of saliva released when talking, coughing, or sneezing. Recent studies have also shown that air pollution is possible. But thats not all: the virus can also be transmitted through infected surfaces.
This is particularly the case with the cell phone, a widely used but not always clean object. How long can the virus survive on such a surface? Researchers from the Australian National Science Agency (CSIRO) analyzed the question and provided their answer in a study published in Virology Journal.
The virus can survive up to 28 days on iphone and smarphone
To find out, they conducted an experiment on smartphones stored at 20 ° C and in the dark. They found that, under these conditions, the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus could survive up to 28 days. By comparison, the influenza virus can survive 17 days under the same circumstances.
However, the researchers found that the higher the temperature, the shorter the lifespan of the virus: at 30 degrees, Sars-CoV-2 could survive up to 7 days, while at 40 degrees, its lifespan decreased to only 24 hours. Its useful life was also the same in the banknotes.
What about other surfaces? On porous surfaces like cotton, the coronavirus survived up to 14 days at the lowest temperature and less than 16 hours at the highest.
Covid-19: the need to wash your hands frequently
While the virus has been detected for 28 days on cell phones, that does not necessarily mean it is capable of infecting someone, the researchers say. Especially since the experiment was carried out in the dark, when some work has shown that UV rays can eliminate the virus.
This research has at least the merit of demonstrating, if necessary, the importance of barrier gestures and, in particular, frequent hand washing. To limit the risk of contamination, it is also advisable to regularly clean your iPhone or Smartphone with a cloth and 70-degree alcohol.
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