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Carolyn Machamer, a cell biologist who specializes in corona viruses, discusses the latest research on the virus that causes COVID-19

 

 

COVID-19 Graphic for article on surface viability

Carolyn Machamer is a professor of cell biology with a  lab at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and she has been researching coronaviruses for years. In this article she discusses these findings and what they mean for efforts to protect against spread of the virus.

“You are more likely to catch the infection through the air if you are next to someone infected than off of a surface. Cleaning surfaces with disinfectant or soap is very effective because once the oily surface coat of the virus is disabled, there is no way the virus can infect a host cell. However, there cannot be an overabundance of caution. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

In this piece the The CDC guidelines on how to protect yourself are also referenced. The first of which is:

  • Clean and disinfect surfaces that many people come in contact with. These include tables, doorknobs, light switches, counter-tops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks. Avoid touching high-contact surfaces in public.

Interesting perspective to be considered as schools prepare to open back up.