Studies have found that the coronavirus can survive 72 hours in the laboratory on some fabrics.

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Toronto, OntarioCTV news) — New studies have shown that new coronaviruses survive in some forms of fabric and spread to other surfaces for up to 72 hours in laboratory settings.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Demontfort (DMU) in Leicester, UK, reports that trace amounts of coronavirus can continue to infect polyester, polycotton, and 100% cotton for up to 3 days. ..

“When the pandemic first began, there was little understanding of how long coronaviruses could survive in fibers,” said Principal Investigator and DMU Microbiologist Dr. Katie Laird in a press release. It was.

“Our findings show that the three most commonly used textiles in healthcare pose a risk of viral infection. If nurses or healthcare professionals bring their uniforms home, There may be traces of the virus on other surfaces, “she added.

To find this, researchers reported a model coronavirus called HCoV-OC43 that had a “very similar structure and survival pattern” to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Droplets of 3 types of fabric.

The researchers then monitored the virus in each material for 72 hours in a laboratory-controlled environment.

The study, which is currently under peer review, reports that polyester has the highest risk of virus transmission and that infectious particles remain on the fabric after 3 days.

Researchers reported that the virus lasted 24 hours on 100% cotton fabrics, but only 6 hours on polycotton.

Researchers have also evaluated the “most reliable cleaning method” for removing viruses from these materials.

Researchers have used 100% cotton and used a variety of water temperatures and cleaning methods, including household washing machines, industrial washing machines, hospital washing machines, ozone or highly reactive gas washing systems. Test was carried out.

The study found that the “water agitation and dilution effect” of all these washing machines was sufficient to remove the virus.

However, researchers have reported that when the textile was contaminated with artificial saliva containing the virus, the traces of the virus survived after passing through a household washing machine, mimicking the risk of spreading from the infected person’s mouth.

In this case, the study states that the virus was “completely eliminated” only when researchers added detergent to raise the water temperature.

Studies have shown that the virus was stable in water up to 60 ° C, but was inactivated at 67 ° C.

Researchers also evaluated whether the fabric poses a risk of mutual contamination during washing.

The team evaluated this by placing clean clothes in the same laundry as the virus-contaminated uniform. They found that “all cleaning systems” removed the virus and “there was no risk of contaminating other items.”

Nonetheless, Laird said contaminated clothing poses a threat to healthcare professionals when taken home before being transferred to other surfaces and washed.

“Study shows that washing these materials at high temperatures also removes the virus in home washing machines, but it eliminates the risk of contaminated clothing leaving traces of coronavirus on other surfaces of the house. Not a car before they were washed, “Laird said in the release.

In response, she advised the British government that medical staff should not take their uniforms home and instead wash them in hospital or industrial laundry.

“These cleaning methods are regulated and nurses and healthcare professionals don’t have to worry about the possibility of taking the virus home,” Laird said.

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