A new study from the National Institutes of Health or NHIS, the Centers for Disease Control, UCLA, and Princeton University found that the virus responsible for COVID-19 can thrive for hours to days in the air and on surfaces. The study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, warned that the virus may infect people through the air and through instances when they touched contaminated surfaces.
Here are the highlights of the study:
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The virus that causes COVID-19 was traceable in aerosols for up to three hours
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The virus can also stay on copper surface for four hours
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24 hours on cardboard materials
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Up to three days on plastic and stainless steel
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50% of the virus may die in the air after 66 minutes
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50% of the virus may die on stainless steel after 5 hours and 38 minutes
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50% of the virus may die on plastic surfaces after 6 hours and 49 minutes
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50% of the virus may die three and a half hours on cardboard
The researchers have therefore highlighted what health experts have been saying since the start of the outbreak now categorized as a pandemic. People should avoid direct contact with people who are infected. They should also avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth. Those who are sick are advised to stay at home. Cover their mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing with a tissue and throw the tissue immediately. Lastly, clean and disinfect household regularly.
WHO Considers Airborne Precautions
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization considers finalizing precautionary guidelines for health workers after a separate study showed that coronavirus could be airborne. The virus that causes COVID-19 can go airborne and thrive in the air depending on factors such as heat and humidity. Scientists, therefore, are now looking at how natural humidity, temperature, and ultraviolet lighting can help stop the spread of the disease.
People With Blood Type A More Prone To Contract Virus
A team of medical researchers in China found that people with blood type A have a higher chance of contracting the virus and are more likely to develop aggravated symptoms. On the other hand, those with type O are at lower risk of having COVID-19. The team warned however that this was only the result after preliminary testing conducted with blood samples of 2,000 patients infected with the virus in Wuhan and Shenzhen.
WHO Advises Against Taking Ibuprofen For COVID-19 Patients
In a separate development, WHO recommended that COVID-19 patients avoid taking ibuprofen. The recommendations were made after the French Health Minister Olivier Verna pointed to a published study saying that anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen may worsen COVID-19 symptoms. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeir said that WHO now recommends using paracetamol unless respective doctors prescribed ibuprofen for their patients.
