The coronavirus which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19 had recently marveled a team of researchers who realized that the virus can stay active on smooth surfaces such as smartphones, metal surfaces and even paper money for a very long period unlike the flu virus.

The scientists found that the coronavirus can stay up active and infectious for about 28 days under the same conditions which would potentially keep the influenza virus infectious after just 17 days.

The team further stated that their researches had proven that the coronavirus is “extremely robust” unlike other viruses. “These findings demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 can remain infectious for significantly longer time periods than generally considered possible,” the study concludes. (Cloth and other porous surfaces can carry infectious virus for just half the time, or around 14 days.)

This showed the importance of disinfecting your smartphone and other surfaces in your home, the study come with some caveats as it was conducted at a constant 68 degree F temperature in dark conditions to negative the effects of UV lights which is obviously far from the normal situations of the real-world whereby there are suns and other impacts which could kill a percentage of the virus.

Also, the research didn’t utilize fresh mucous which normally contain some white cells and antibodies on them. “In my opinion infectious viruses will only persist for hours in mucus on surfaces rather than days,” Cardiff University professor Ron Eccles told the BBC.

There is a recent downplay from experts about the potential risk of coronavirus being transmitted from surfaces and as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has it, “spread from touching surfaces is not thought to be a common way that COVID-19 spreads.” instead, the most common vector are respiratory droplets which are produced through coughing and sneezing. New guidelines also suggest that it can also be transmitted by airborne transmission in “poorly ventilated and enclosed spaces that often involved activities that caused heavier breathing, like singing or exercise.”