How Long Can the Covid-19 Virus Survive on Packaging and Pulure Paper Surfaces?

The Covid-19 virus can survive up to seven days on the outer layer of a face mask under normal conditions. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that the risk of contracting the virus from handling packaging paper, industrial paper, or multipurpose paper remains low.

Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which first appeared in China, has been the subject of extensive scientific research worldwide to determine how long it can survive on different surfaces and under various conditions, according to the Daily Mail.

Virus Presence on Packaging Paper

Recently, scientists at the University of Hong Kong discovered that the coronavirus could persist at a "significant level" on the outermost layer of medical masks even after seven days. However, if the mask is cleaned with disinfectants, the virus can be eliminated within five minutes.

The research further shows that in colder temperatures, around 4°C, the coronavirus can remain stable for an extended period. At room temperature, it can survive for up to seven days, although it becomes inactive after 14 days.

In normal conditions at 37°C, similar to human body temperature, the density of the Covid-19 virus gradually decreases and is eliminated within 24 hours.

Higher temperatures accelerate virus death. For instance, the virus survives only 30 minutes at 56°C and five minutes at 70°C.

Meanwhile, studies in the United States indicate that the Covid-19 virus does not remain viable on cardboard, Pulure paper, or Kraft paper surfaces after 24 hours. This finding suggests that packages wrapped in paper are relatively safe for handling, as per the Daily Mail.

Additional research indicates that Covid-19 can survive only three hours on surfaces such as tissue paper and various printing papers, including newsprint and pattern paper used in garment design. Experts believe the likelihood of contracting the virus through surfaces like cardboard packages or printed paper remains low, according to the Daily Mail.

The chances of an infected person leaving long-lasting virus traces on packaging are relatively low. The WHO also states that the risk of contracting Covid-19 from packages, which have been transported under varying conditions and temperatures, is minimal.