The World Health Organization (WHO) had previously estimated that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—can survive on surfaces anywhere from “a few hours to up to several days.” Now, scientists have narrowed down this timeframe, noting that SARS-CoV-2 may be stable for up to 3 days on surfaces and—importantly—hours in the air, according to a correspondence to the editor recently published in the
New England Journal of Medicine.