The virus  causing COVID19 mainly spreads from person to person through droplets.

People get the infection when an infected person sneezes , coughs or talks and emits droplests on them.

But the infection can be caught too form touching the surfaces.

The virus can live for hours to days on the surfaces and when someone touches theses surfaces he gets the infection.

The period of time the virus can live on surfaces vary depending the type of the surface, the temperature and the environment.

Researchers have still to learn whether exposure to heat, cold and sunlihght affect how long the virus remains alive on the surfaces.

This is a guide to how long it can live on surfaces:

Metal : like jewlery, doorknobs  5 days

Wooden materila : like furniture 4 days

Plastics:  2-3 days

stainless steel : 2-3 days

Card board : 24 hours

Copper : 4 hours

Aluminium : 2-8 hours

Glass : upto 5 days

Ceramics : upto 5 days

Paper : minutes to days depending on the strain of the virus

Food : corona virus does not seem to spread through food. Yet still it is wise to wash fruits, vegetables and other food sources thoroughly

Water : the virus has not been found in drinking water

What You can do:

Clean the frequently touched surfaces daily with a cleaning spray or wipe. If the surface is dirty clean it with water and soap.

The frequently touched surfaces include: countertops, tables, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, phones, keyboards, remote controls, toilets.

Keep the surfaces clean even if no member in the house is ill because people can spread the infection without showing any symptoms.

When you come back from outside , like the grocery and market, or collect a delivery, wash your hand with soap and water for 20 seconds at least.