Viruses are transmitted through contact with an infected person or contaminated objects. Read how long the microorganisms can survive on surfaces.
Flu, cold or corona – we are often not spared from common respiratory diseases, especially in the cold winter months. Many viruses spread through what is known as droplet infection. Pathogens that are located in the throat or respiratory tract are released into the air through tiny droplets of saliva when sneezing, coughing or speaking. They are transmitted when another person inhales them or absorbs them through the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, as the Federal Institute for Public Health informs.
These saliva droplets can also stick to objects or surfaces and enter the body via hands if you then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. Whether it’s a doorknob or a handle on a bus or train: how long viruses can survive on surfaces varies from virus to virus.
The survival time of viruses depends on several factors
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There is no general answer to how long viruses survive on a surface. The length of survival depends on the structure of the virus. “There are so-called enveloped and non-enveloped viruses,” says Prof. Dr. Heribert Stoiber, virologist at the Section for Virology at the Medical University of Innsbruck, the Standard.at portal. Enveloped viruses have an additional lipid layer on the outside, while non-enveloped viruses are not surrounded by this fatty layer and are therefore more resistant to environmental influences. The resistance of a microorganism is also called tenacity, as Quarks.de reports. Respiratory diseases are more likely to be caused by enveloped viruses, which survive more poorly on dry surfaces than non-enveloped ones.
However, the survival time of viruses depends on other factors. Temperature also plays an important role. “The colder it is, the longer viruses can remain infectious on the surface,” explains Priv.-Doz. Dr. Monika Redlberger-Fritz, virologist at the Medical University of Vienna according to Standard.at. This is probably why flu and colds are more common in the cold months than in the summer. What is certain, however, is that viruses cannot survive for very long because they require a host cell from a larger organism – for example a human or an animal – in order to remain viable.
Corona and flu viruses: This is how long they survive on surfaces
According to Muenchen-klinik.de, influenza viruses can survive outside the body for several hours. When the outside temperatures are warmer, they survive for a shorter time than in the cold winter months. It is also not possible to say in general terms how long coronaviruses are resistant. In studies, individual representatives of coronaviruses remained on surfaces for up to nine days and remained infectious. As a rule, however, a survival period of several days is assumed.
This is how you protect yourself from a smear infection
According to Netdoktor.de, the most efficient and best protection against contact and smear infections is careful hand hygiene. Therefore, wash your hands regularly with soap and water to reduce the germ load on your hands. If you cannot clean your hands, you should avoid touching your face so that any pathogens cannot enter your body through your hands when you touch your mouth, nose or eyes.
