COVID-19 Stays On Human Skin 5 Times Longer Than the Flu, Study Finds

A new study has provided researchers with insights into how COVID-19 differs from influenza viruses. The study, which was published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases in October, found that COVID-19 survives on human skin for nine hours. By contrast, flu viruses only live on human skin for 1.8 hours.

The findings suggest that there might be a greater risk of contact transmission for COVID-19 than the flu. Contact transmission is when an infection is spread through direct contact with an infected person or a contaminated surface (also known as a fomite).

“If the COVID-19 virus lives longer on the skin than the flu, that does not mean we should be washing our hands longer than usual,” Silvia Gnass, MSc, CIC, Infection Prevention and Control Manager at Riverside University Health System, tells Verywell. “Washing our hands with soap and water for 20 seconds is enough to eliminate the [COVID-19] virus from the skin surface.”

Can I Still Use Hand Sanitizer?

Gnass says that both the virus that causes COVID-19 and influenza viruses can be inactivated within 15 seconds of using an alcohol-based (also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol) hand sanitizer.

However, a specific hand sanitizer's effectiveness depends on the strength of alcohol used. “Hand sanitizers need to have a strength of at least 60% alcohol and be used when hands are not visibly dirty or greasy," Gnass says.

Other Prevention Measures Matter

While frequent and proper handwashing is important, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, wearing a face mask, and practicing social distancing are also of critical importance to slowing the spread of either virus.

For example, touching a contaminated surface increases your probability of getting sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests routinely cleaning surfaces with soap and water to decrease contamination.

After you clean these surfaces, you should disinfect them—especially if they are frequently touched. Gnass says the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of approved disinfectants that kill the coronavirus and the flu virus.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding contact time (the time the surface should stay wet with the solution). The CDC recommends that the contact time should be one minute at a minimum.

While it's important to keep your hands and surfaces clean, both viruses can be spread through droplet transmission, which occurs through close contact with another person’s respiratory secretions (such as when they talk, sneeze, or cough). Therefore, you also need to continue to wear a face mask to protect yourself, as well as practice social distancing. 

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.