Public warned to leave parcels for 72 hours before opening in order to stop coronavirus spread

11 May 2020, 12:38 | Updated: 11 May 2020, 12:42

By Alice Dear

You can decrease your risk of catching COVID-19 by quarantining your packages, researchers have revealed.

People are being encouraged to keep their packages out of the way for 72 hours before opening them in order to stop the spread of coronavirus.

This is according to researchers from Bath, Britsol and Southampton Universities, who have put together a 'Germ Defence Guide' for people in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.

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Among the many tips, the researchers encouraged people to put their parcels in a cupboard for 72 hours before opening them.

This will allow signs of the virus to die on the packaging, protecting you from possibly being exposed to COVID-19.

They explain: "It can take up to three days (72 hours) for the coronavirus to completely die on hard surfaces – such as cardboard, plastic or metal.

"If you can wait three days, then the risk of catching the virus is at its lowest.

"If you are receiving a delivery, can you put things in a spare cupboard for three days before you use them?

"If three days isn’t possible, then aim for as long as you can – as soon as the virus leaves our bodies it starts to die so even after one day it is much weaker than it was before."

They also added that if you cannot wait 72 hours, you can always use disinfectant to clean hard surfaces before handling the packages.

This comes after Professor Chris Whitty revealed that droplets of the virus can live on hard surfaces for three days.

At the time, he explained: "It's probably largely gone by 48 hours and almost completely gone by 72 hours on a hard surface.

"Soft surfaces viruses last for a shorter period."

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