Coronavirus which has affected more than 5 lakh people and killed more than 24 thousand across the world till March 27 is spreading fast. The novel virus can spread through infected surfaces and can live between 3 to 72 hours hours on different surfaces such as plastic, metals, cardboard and even air. As per a study published in New England Journal of Medicine, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) can be detected in air upto three hours. A person is more likely to catch the infection from air through an infected person rather than the surfaces that have the virus. On copper, coronavirus can survive for upto 4 hours. As per the study, no traces of the virus could be seen or measured post the four-hour time-frame. Disinfecting the copper surface from time to time is a precautionary measure that can be used. Coronavirus can live for a day on cardboard surfaces. As per the study, the virus (SARS-CoV-2) can survive for upto 24 hours on surfaces that are made out of cardboard. However the study also said that replicate data were noticeably "noisier" for cardboard than for other surfaces. On objects and surfaces made of stainless steel, coronavirus can survive for upto 48 hours. The estimated median half-life of the virus was approximately 5.6 hours on stainless steel. The study published in New England Journal of Medicine notes that no visible virus (SARS-Cov-2) was measured after the 48-hour time period. Coronavirus can live for upto 3 days on plastic surfaces. The SARS-COV-2 virus was more stable on plastic as compared to other surfaces such as metals and cardboard. The estimated median half-life of the virus was approximately 6.8 hours on plastic surfaces.

1. 1
THE LIFE SPAN OF DEADLY CORONAVIRUS ON DIFFERENT SURFACES
VARUN KESAVAN, RESEARCH SCHOLAR, E – MAIL ID – varunkesavan@yahoo.com
Coronavirus which has affected more than 5 lakh people and killed more than 24
thousand across the world till March 27 is spreading fast. The novel virus can
spread through infected surfaces and can live between 3 to 72 hours hours on
different surfaces such as plastic, metals, cardboard and even air.
As per a study published in New England Journal of Medicine, coronavirus (SARS-
CoV-2) can be detected in air upto three hours. A person is more likely to catch
the infection from air through an infected person rather than the surfaces that have
the virus.
On copper, coronavirus can survive for upto 4 hours. As per the study, no traces
of the virus could be seen or measured post the four-hour time-frame. Disinfecting
the copper surface from time to time is a precautionary measure that can be used.
Coronavirus can live for a day on cardboard surfaces. As per the study, the virus
(SARS-CoV-2) can survive for upto 24 hours on surfaces that are made out of
cardboard. However the study also said that replicate data were noticeably
"noisier" for cardboard than for other surfaces.

2. 2
On objects and surfaces made of stainless steel, coronavirus can survive for upto
48 hours. The estimated median half-life of the virus was approximately 5.6 hours
on stainless steel. The study published in New England Journal of Medicine notes
that no visible virus (SARS-Cov-2) was measured after the 48-hour time period.
Coronavirus can live for upto 3 days on plastic surfaces. The SARS-COV-2 virus
was more stable on plastic as compared to other surfaces such as metals and
cardboard. The estimated median half-life of the virus was approximately 6.8 hours
on plastic surfaces.