Can you contract coronavirus from a surface or object?

The CDC says that it may be possible to contract COVID-19 by coming in contact with a surface or object that has the virus on it, but you're much more likely to get the coronavirus through person-to-person transmission.

Video Transcript

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DARA KASS: So there has been some confusion about whether or not you can get the coronavirus from surfaces. Can you get coronavirus from surfaces? Or [? were ?] we overreacting the entire time?

We have to be humble and say we don't know all the certainties. It's more likely to be spread person to person. That's why we ask you to wear a mask. That's why we ask you to be six feet apart. What we know is that coronavirus is spread through droplets, and it's those droplets that we have to worry about-- either person to person, or on surfaces.

If you're in close proximity with somebody that has the virus, and they cough, or sneeze, or talk, and you inhale that droplet, that's a pretty good way to get infected yourself. If a droplet lands on a surface, and then you touch it right away and wipe your face, or your nose, or your eyes, that's also potentially a way to get the corona virus yourself. That's not to say that everywhere you go is laden with coronavirus particles.

It's be smart. Washing your hands and wearing a mask is still the much better way to protect yourself, and not to get so anxious about every surface you come in contact with. It is really unlikely that you're going to get coronavirus from a surface in the mail, or your packages, or your groceries. The confusion is people asking for absolutes.

We don't have a lot of guarantees right now. It's still a very new virus. We're still figuring out what's going on. We're still trying to understand where the risks are and where aren't they. If you want a reliable way to prevent yourself from getting the coronavirus, worry less about the surfaces you touch, and worry more about how frequently you wash your hands. Washing your hands, even if you touch a contaminated surface, is the best way to protect you from getting the coronavirus. It's really that simple. And it's what we've been saying all along.