The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, like many respiratory viruses, mostly spreads between people through small droplets released from the nose or mouth of an infected person. These droplets can either be inhaled by people nearby or can land on clothing or other surfaces and lead to virus transmission when the surfaces are touched by uninfected people. Studies have so far shown that SARS-CoV-2 can survive in air droplets for as long as three hours and on some hard surfaces for up to three days.
