Yes You Can Catch Coronavirus From a Doorknob: What an Epidemiologist Says
There is a lack of good information about covid-19 and some misinformation about a virus that appears to be very contagious and even lethal for some people. Well, first of all, you can be contagious and not have symptoms. After my last post, I had people ask, “Can you catch the virus from touching a doorknob?”, for instance. And, “How long does the virus live?” Let’s get to the bottom of this and other questions.
As a biology major who took microbiology and other courses in college, I studied microbes such as bacteria and viruses. Microbes are diverse but in general, they like friendly conditions that allow them to survive. A sneeze droplet full of viruses can travel up to 20 feet and be inhaled or land on a surface. If you happen to inhale that tiny droplet, of touch it and then inadvertently touch a body opening such as eyes, nose or mouth, the virus has found an entry point into your body where it can set up business. A tiny droplet of water or other bodily fluid looks like an ocean to a virus. And according to epidemiologists they can live on a surface for 2 to 48 hours, depending on the temperature and humidity.
Although the coronavirus doesn’t float in the air like the measles virus and some other microbes will, you obviously don’t want to share utensils with an infected person. If a contagious person coughs into their hands, there is a good possibility that everything and everybody they touch will now have viruses on it. You can imagine why experts are warning us to not fist-bump any more! An ebow bump is close enough.
Epidemiologist Malia Jones, who is a PhD with a Masters degree in public health from the University of Wisconsin-Madison clarifies some of the mystique behind covid-19. She says the importance of quality hand-washing cannot be overstated. Even though we don’t think we touch our faces, “An observational study found that people sitting at a desk working touched their eyes, nose, or lips between 3 and 50 times per hour. Perfectly normal grown-ups, not lowlifes like my friends.” And if we are touching viruses that are going to be on surfaces everywhere from the grocery store to our grandchildren‘s hands, all the time, we need to wash our hands a lot. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will kill the virus. And you can make a spray to coat surfaces out of 50% bleach, 50% water, and let it set 10–30 minutes. It will bleach your furniture and sting your eyes!
There are plenty of other tips and links in my prior article, How to Avoid Contracting the Coronavirus. You can find tutorials and more information on the World Health Organization (WHO) website.
So, back to the doorknob and other surfaces. Yes, since viruses can remain viable for 24–48 hours on a surface, you can pick them up by touching. Best of health. Stay clean and safe.
