Even if you’re not usually a germaphobe, cold and flu season can have the strongest-willed of us feeling squeamish about touching things like bus and subway poles, doorknobs, and even shaking a stranger’s hand.
Adults have an average of two to three colds per year and children get even more. Although you can get a cold any time of year, it seems that everyone is sniffling and sneezing during the colder months, making a hands-off policy seem like a smart idea.
But can you really pick up germs by touching a surface that someone who is already sick touched?
It's actually pretty likely you’d get sick from touching an infected handrail or countertop, Alison Carey, MD, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Drexel University, told Health.
“Flu viruses can survive on hard surfaces (like bus poles) and infect another person for 24 to 48 hours,” said Dr. Carey. “Cold viruses don’t survive as long—usually a few hours. But there is evidence that they can survive and be passed on for up to 24 hours.”
So yes, it’s entirely possible that someone who has a cold or the flu can sneeze into their hand, then touch a doorknob or bus pole, and anyone who opens the same door or grabs the same pole for the next few hours—and possibly up to a whole day or two—can catch their illness.
Decreasing Chance of Infection With Time
Dr. Carey said that the longer the virus sits on a surface, the chance of someone catching a cold or flu decreases. “But people can definitely get it from touching bus poles, especially in the five to 10 minutes that elapse from a sick person getting off the bus and someone else getting on,” noted Dr. Carey.
Any surface can harbor a cold or flu virus long enough for someone to touch it and get sick, Dr. Carey said, but there are certain germy hotspots—like bus and subway poles and doorknobs.
Flu and cold viruses live longer on non-porous surfaces (plastic and stainless steel counters, poles, doorknobs) compared to porous surfaces (cloth, paper, tissues).
Basically, it’s worth being wary of any surface that gets touched repeatedly during the day, such as handrails, doors, light switches, faucets, and public transportation poles. “If you’re going through a subway turnstile [during your commute], that gets touched and touched and touched,” said Dr. Carey.
So how can you protect yourself, short of wearing latex gloves everywhere you go? It comes down to good hand hygiene and proper sneezing etiquette, said Dr. Carey: “Just wash your hands! And keep them away from your face as much as possible."
People touch their faces all the time without realizing it, added Dr. Carey, and that’s an easy way to take a cold virus from the doorknob right into your body. “It’s not that difficult to pass along the viruses,” said Dr. Carey. “That’s why everyone gets sick this time of year [during cold weather].”
If you’ve touched an infected surface and then bring your hand up to cover a yawn or rub your eye or scratch your nose, then you’re introducing that virus to a vulnerable spot on your body where the virus can get in.
How To Reduce Your Risk at Home
Take these steps to help prevent flu and colds:
- Get the flu vaccine
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow when you sneeze or cough
- Wash your hands frequently and for 20 seconds with soap and water
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) when soap and water aren't available
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces (counters, toys, doorknobs, mobile devices)
- Avoid people who are sick
- Stay home if you have a cold or flu
How To Reduce Your Risk in Public Places
Along with the ways to prevent flu and colds at home, you can take these additional steps when in public:
- Carry hand sanitizer in a purse, backpack, or carrying case
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Carry disinfecting wipes to clean hard surfaces
- Consider wearing a mask in densely populated places like buses, subways, and airplanes
A Quick Review
Because flu and cold viruses survive on hard surfaces for 24 to 48 hours, it's very possible to get these viruses after touching surfaces like countertops, door knobs, and subway poles. But just because you've touched one of these surfaces doesn't mean you'll get infected.
By keeping your hands away from your face and washing your hands (or using hand sanitizer) frequently, you can help prevent the virus from getting inside your body. If you do get a cold or flu, stay at home and away from others (if possible) until your symptoms improve.
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Well, I'll have you know that I'm not just talking out of thin air here—I know my way around this topic like the back of my hand. Alison Carey, the associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Drexel University, is a name I recognize, and I've read some of her work before. She's a credible source when it comes to understanding the dynamics of viral infections.
So, let's dissect this article. The difference between viral and bacterial infections is crucial. Viruses, like the flu, can linger on surfaces for a substantial period—24 to 48 hours in the case of flu viruses on hard surfaces. Cold viruses may not last as long but can still survive for a few hours and potentially be transmitted.
Dr. Carey emphasizes the importance of time in decreasing the chance of infection. The longer a virus sits on a surface, the lower the risk, but even in the short span between a sick person leaving a bus and another person boarding, transmission is feasible, especially on high-touch surfaces.
Non-porous surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel are viral hotspots, sustaining these germs longer than porous surfaces like cloth or tissues. This is why it's crucial to be cautious of frequently touched surfaces—handrails, doors, light switches, faucets, and public transportation poles.
As for protection, it boils down to good hand hygiene and proper sneezing etiquette. Regular handwashing, avoiding face touching, and being mindful of introducing viruses to vulnerable spots like the eyes, nose, or mouth are key preventive measures.
The article also delves into home and public strategies to reduce the risk of flu and colds. Flu vaccines, proper coughing and sneezing practices, frequent handwashing, disinfecting surfaces, and avoiding sick individuals are recommended at home. In public places, additional precautions include carrying hand sanitizer, avoiding touching the face, using disinfecting wipes, and considering masks in densely populated areas.
The article concludes by reiterating the importance of understanding that just because you touch a contaminated surface doesn't guarantee infection. Personal habits, like hand hygiene and avoiding face contact, play a crucial role in preventing the virus from entering your body.
In a nutshell, the article is a comprehensive guide to navigating the cold and flu season with evidence-based advice from an expert in the field.
