Scientists warn that Covid-19 can survive on clothing for up to THREE DAYS, with polyester garments that keep the virus longer
- The University of Montfort (DMU) added drops of a virus model to the fabrics
- It survives with polyester for 3 days, cotton for 2 days and polycotton for 6 hours
- Researchers advise that all health uniforms be washed at an industrial level
- Warn that a detergent that washes at least 67 ° C can kill the virus at home, but the virus can be rubbed on other surfaces beforehand.
According to new research, Covid-19-like coronaviruses can survive on clothing for up to three days.
Research conducted by De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester examined how a coronavirus behaves in three tissues commonly used in the healthcare industry.
Polyester allows the virus to survive infectious levels for up to 72 hours, while dying in 24 hours with 100% cotton.
However, the study found that coronaviruses can only survive with a polycotton hybrid for six hours.
Scroll down to see the video
According to new research, Covid-19-like coronaviruses can survive on clothing for up to three days.
The study used a coronavirus model called HCoV-OC43, which is very similar to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
Drops were added to the polyester, polycotton, and cotton to see how long the virus lasted on these surfaces.
The findings are worrisome, researchers say, because if the live virus attaches to the clothing of health professionals, it could be transported from the hospital to the staff home and scrubbed across various surfaces, allowing it to be ‘extend.
Microbiologist Katie Laird, who led the study, has advised the government that all health uniforms should be washed in hospitals according to commercial standards or through an industrial laundry.
Laird, head of the DMU Infectious Diseases Research Group, said: “When the pandemic started, very little was understood about how long the coronavirus could survive in the tissues.
“Our findings show that three of the most widely used health textiles present a risk of virus transmission.
“If nurses and health workers take their uniforms home, they could leave traces of the virus on other surfaces.”
The virus was only inactivated when a detergent was used and the water was at least 67 ° C, but researchers say all sanitary uniforms should be washed on an industrial level and should not be taken home on staff.
Public Health England (PHE) issued guidelines in 2020 that health workers ’uniforms should be bleached according to industry standards.
However, there is an exception if it is considered not possible.
The NHS says a home wash of at least 60 ° C is fine and can get rid of pathogens.
However, Dr Laird warns that this NHS guide is based on 14-year evidence and needs urgent revision.
The researchers tested NHS advice on 100% cotton, the most common textile used in a healthcare setting.
When the virus was mixed with artificial saliva, the researchers found that household washing machines could remove the entire virus.
The virus was only inactivated when a detergent was used and the water was at least 67 ° C.
“Although, according to research, we can see that washing these materials at high temperature, even in a home washing machine, removes the virus, it does not eliminate the risk of contaminated clothing leaving traces of coronavirus on other surfaces in the home or before washing them.
We now know that the virus can survive for up to 72 hours in some tissues and that it can also be transferred to other surfaces.
“This research has reinforced my recommendation that all sanitary uniforms should be washed in situ in hospitals or an industrial laundromat.
“These washing methods are regulated and nurses and health care workers do not have to worry about bringing the virus home.”