May 22, 2020—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now says the novel coronavirus does not spread easily from touching surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus, reports Fox News.
According to the report, the federal health agency appears to have recently changed its guidelines from early March, including "surfaces and objects" under a section that details ways in which COVID-19 does not readily transmit. However, experts warn that this fact doesn't mean it's no longer necessary to take precautions in stopping the spread.
The agency said the virus primarily spreads from person-to-person in the following ways:
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet)
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, which can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs
- Spread by people who are asymptomatic
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