How Long Does the Novel Coronavirus Live on Different Surfaces?

By Holly Gainer

People are staying home to avoid the coronavirus, but it may linger on commonly used surfaces for longer than you think. A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine examined how long COVID-19 can live in the air and on certain surfaces. A virologist and an infectious diseases physician at UAB broke down what the study found and explain how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

The study looked at how long the virus can live in the air and on plastic, copper, stainless steel and cardboard.

“The virus was more stable on plastic and stainless steel than cardboard,” said Todd Green, a virologist and an associate professor in UAB’s Department of Microbiology. “Viable virus was detected for up to three days on plastic and stainless-steel surfaces. While on copper, no viable virus was measured after four hours or on cardboard after 24 hours.”

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