Experts publicize coronavirus control knowledge

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) recently held a press briefing discussing prevention and control of the novel coronavirus. The conference focused on questions about virus control raised by journalists and for which experts with the center answered, Xinhua reported on Feb.24.

Will the coronavirus remain on human hair? Is it necessary to wash your hair every time you go outside?

Generally speaking, people don't need to specifically wash or disinfect their hair after going outside. The possibility of one's hair getting contaminated by droplets with a high concentration of the virus outdoors is very low. Therefore, people just need to maintain the regular washing of their hair.

Can the virus be transmitted by skin contact?

The answer is no. The virus invades the human body through mucous membranes, such as those found in the mouth, nose and eyes. So it's important to protect these parts.

How should people protect themselves against the virus in their own cars?

People should make sure their cars have good ventilation and that mask, hand sanitizers, and antiseptic wipes are available. If a person showing symptoms of virus infection has been in the car, after she or he leaves, the driver should open the car windows for ventilation and disinfect articles the patient has touched.

Can 75% concentration ethanol be sprinkled directly on people’s clothes to kill the virus?

The novel coronavirus is unlikely to invade the human body from clothing contamination. People don’t have to specially disinfect their clothes unless they’ve been to the hospital, visited coronavirus patients, or contacted people suspected of coronavirus infection. Ethanol is flammable. If sprinkled on clothes, it may cause fire hazards.

Under what circumstances does aerosol transmission happen?

The novel coronavirus can be transmitted when someone is exposed to high concentrations of aerosol in a relatively closed environment for a long time. However, in an open environment, the chance of aerosol transmission is extremely low.