Wood - 4 days. The study also recommended that people practice hand hygiene with sufficiently strong disinfectant. The window to the world of. If the surface isn't porous, like glass, stainless steel or plastic, studies have been able to detect the virus after days or weeks. This doesn't mean it's harmless or we give up, just that it's part of life, Catching COVID from surfaces is very unlikely. The Omicron variant outlasts the other variants, surviving for 193.5 hours. Applying that to real life is an entirely different thing," he said. However, under "typical indoor environmental conditions . The original SARS-CoV-2 strain found in Wuhan lasted 56 hours on the plastic surface. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, The Omicron variant may survive for a longer time on surfaces than other variants of, spread of COVID may "sometimes occur through contact with contaminated surfaces, though this route is now considered less likely. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. In the preprint study, Omicron survived over 20 hours on skin. However, under "typical indoor environmental conditions . Other members of the scientific and medical community also had mixed views on what this new study actually tells us about how Omicron spreads. Science Brief: SARS-CoV-2 and Surface (Fomite) Transmission for Indoor Community Environments, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. COVID will soon be endemic. Armored Dinosaur Magnificently Preserved After Face, Skin, Spikes Survived Fossilization. This could contribute to its increased infectiousness but the extent of any increase in the amount of surface transmission, the relative contribution of surface transmission to Omicron infections, and what causes this enhanced environmental stability are key questions that were beyond the scope of the study. "Hand hygiene and frequent disinfection of common touch surfaces in public areas are highly recommended.". You can review and change the way we collect information below. No reported studies have investigated the efficacy of surface cleaning (with soap or detergent not containing a registered disinfectant) for reducing concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 on non-porous surfaces.