PROVE IT
How long does a flu bug last?
December 19, 2009
THE CLAIM
Flu viruses live longer on surfaces than cold viruses.
THE FACTS
Most people know cold and flu viruses can contaminate doorknobs, faucets and other surfaces. But for how long?
Studies have found that the survival time for both kinds of viruses varies greatly, from a few seconds to 48 hours. For example, cold and flu viruses survive longer on inanimate surfaces that are nonporous, like metal, plastic and wood, and less on porous surfaces, like clothing, paper and tissue. Most flu viruses can live one to two days on nonporous surfaces, and eight to 12 hours on porous surfaces. But a 2006 study found that avian influenza seemed particularly hardy, sometimes surviving up to six days.
Cold viruses, however, deteriorate quickly. A study in 2007 found that when objects in a hotel room – light switches, telephones – were contaminated with a cold virus, 60 per cent of healthy volunteers picked up the virus when they touched one of the objects an hour later. Eighteen hours later, the transmission rate was cut in half.
On skin, cold and flu viruses generally last less than a few minutes, but that can be plenty of time: Studies show most people touch their hands or mouth several times in the course of daily activities – enough to cause infection.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Flu viruses tend to survive longer than cold viruses.
The New York Times
Toronto Star
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