Dr. Sadaf Mustafa
Internal Medicine
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
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Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I have been reading about the duration of time SARS-CoV-2 is expected to be viable on various surfaces. The report from the US NIH gives numbers like 24 hours on cardboard, four hours on copper, three days on plastic, three hours as an aerosol, etc.
Recently, a report from the CDC seems to describe how on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected 17 days after occupants had departed the ship (but before a deep clean was conducted). In this latter case, it is not clear if the RNA was in a viable form (or if that could even be determined by whatever scheme of detection they were using).
I need information from infectious disease experts that are well-cognizant of the most recent, pertinent information regarding the viability of SARS-CoV-2 on various surfaces. Can you comment on what procedures you think are necessary for protecting oneself from packages or other items delivered to home?
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
Yes, it appears that the virus does survive on different surfaces for extended periods as the primary source of transmission is droplets and the incubation period is highly variable from 3-11 days.
For protecting yourself from the infection that could be transmitted through delivery packages, hold the package with gloved hands, use wipes like from the brand Lysol or similar ones to wipe down the box. I would also recommend disinfecting individual items. Again, this is not by CDC guidelines but more from experience and expert opinions.
For other reasons, wipe down phones, tablets, keyboards, doorknobs, telephone, and dictation phones with alcohol wipes. If working with a person with questionable symptoms or exposure, wear masks, and avoid touching your face. Social distancing (6 feet) is recommended as well.
I hope this helps.
Patient's Query
Thank you doctor,
Disinfecting the box or individual items with something like Lysol wipes (which have quaternary compounds as disinfecting agents), the necessary contact time is 4 minutes. This requires quite a few wipes to keep the area wet for 4 minutes, which quickly exhausts limited supplies. Bleach solutions require 5 or 10 minutes (depending on which resource one refers to). I have not been able to find any convincing resources for contact times for isopropyl alcohol, even on the CDC site, although one site said one minute. How do you feel about this aspect? May I ask what you are doing personally? Is soap and water to wash off an item is also effective?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
I personally do frequent hand washing, wearing mask where ever applicable. Not ordering online things and using Lysol wipes with gloves as much as possible. Unfortunately, that is the best you can do under the given circumstances. I agree that we do not have much data and or information.
I hope this helps.
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Internal Medicine
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