COVID-19 virus survival on surfaces varies widely depending on the type of surface and environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and sunlight.

Typical Survival Times on Different Surfaces

• Hard, non-porous surfaces like stainless steel, plastic, glass, and vinyl can harbor the virus the longest:
  • Stainless steel: up to 7 days or more, with some studies detecting viable virus up to 28 days at 20°C on smooth surfaces

* Plastic: around 4 days to over 70 hours (about 3 days)

* Glass: up to 4 days or longer depending on conditions

* Vinyl: up to 28 days at 20°C, less at higher temperatures

• Porous surfaces such as cardboard, paper, and fabrics tend to retain the virus for shorter periods:
  • Cardboard: about 24 hours to 1 day, with less virus viability than on hard surfaces

* Paper: roughly 30 minutes to a day

* Cotton cloth/fabrics: viable virus usually does not survive past 14 days at 20°C, often less than 16 hours at higher temperatures

Environmental Factors Affecting Virus Survival

• Higher temperatures (e.g., 30°C to 40°C) significantly reduce virus survival times, sometimes to less than a day on most surfaces

• Virus survives longer in cool, moist environments and is inactivated faster in dry, sunny conditions

• Sunlight exposure greatly reduces the risk of surface transmission by inactivating the virus

Infectivity Considerations

• Even if virus particles are detectable on surfaces after days or weeks, the amount of live virus capable of causing infection decreases rapidly over time

• The presence of virus on surfaces does not necessarily mean there is enough to infect a person.
• Surface transmission is possible but less common compared to airborne transmission

Summary Table of Approximate Survival Times

Surface Type| Approximate Survival Time (Viable Virus)
---|---
Stainless Steel| Up to 7 days; up to 28 days under ideal conditions247
Plastic| 3 to 4 days; up to 70 hours3910
Glass| Up to 4 days; up to 28 days under ideal conditions347
Vinyl| Up to 28 days at 20°C; shorter at higher temps47
Cardboard| About 24 hours to 1 day3510
Paper| 30 minutes to 1 day34
Cotton Cloth/Fabric| Less than 14 days at 20°C; often less than 16 hours at higher temps46

Cleaning surfaces with soap and water or disinfectants effectively kills the virus and reduces transmission risk

. In conclusion, COVID-19 can survive on surfaces from a few hours to several days or even weeks under certain conditions, especially on smooth, hard surfaces at room temperature or cooler. However, the risk of infection from surfaces decreases significantly over time as the virus loses viability