Sunlight, heat and humidity weaken coronavirus, U.S. official says

[webfact]

Sunlight, heat and humidity weaken coronavirus, U.S. official says

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The coronavirus appears to weaken more quickly when exposed to sunlight, heat and humidity, a U.S. official said on Thursday in a potential sign that the pandemic could become less contagious in summer months.

 

U.S. government researchers have determined that the virus survives best indoors and in dry conditions, and loses potency when temperatures and humidity rise - and especially when it is exposed to sunlight, said William Bryan, acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate.

 

"The virus dies quickest in the presence of direct sunlight," he told a White House news briefing.

 

The findings could bolster hopes that the coronavirus will mimic the behavior of other respiratory diseases like influenza, which typically are less contagious in warm weather.

 

But the coronavirus has also proven lethal in warm-weather places like Singapore, raising broader questions about the impact of environmental factors.

 

President Donald Trump said the findings should be interpreted cautiously. "I hope people enjoy the sun and if it has an impact, that's great," he said.

 

On nonporous surfaces like stainless steel, the virus takes 18 hours to lose half its strength in a dark, low-humidity environment, Bryan said.

 

In a high-humidity environment, that half-life dropped to six hours, and when the virus was exposed to high humidity and sunlight, the half-life dropped to two minutes, he said.

 

Researchers found a similar effect with the coronavirus that was suspended in the air - simulating the coughing or sneezing that often spreads the disease. In a dark room, the virus maintained half its strength for an hour. But when exposed to sunlight, it lost half its strength in 90 seconds, Bryan said.

 

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-24

 

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[Cryingdick]

Well there are many states that are about to put it to the test for those too scared to guy outside. It's sort of like a zombie movie where the brave go out to look for an escape and the weak stay inside and wait. 

 

Those that shelter had better pray to God that those that go back to it prevail. Because if things don't work out well in the rural places it is going to be a grim omen for the cities.

[ukrules]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

But the coronavirus has also proven lethal in warm-weather places like Singapore, raising broader questions about the impact of environmental factors.

200,000 migrant workers holed up in a few dozen dormitories is the reason Singapore has an explosion in cases.

 

The people who for some reason want to prove that heat and humidity had no effect were using Singapore as an example when they had just a few hundred cases, back when the EU and US only had a handful of cases.

 

There is a very clear difference between cold weather and hot humid weather but that will be completely negated if you pack 1000's of people into an enclosed area like a boxing arena, any kind of indoor entertainment, exhibition, etc or a dormitory.

 

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

In a high-humidity environment, that half-life dropped to six hours, and when the virus was exposed to high humidity and sunlight, the half-life dropped to two minutes, he said.

This is what we're seeing in Thailand in my opinion.

 

 

[jollyhangmon]

35 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well if the sunlight doesn’t kill it, perhaps the injections of disinfectant will:

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216

 

... lol, hilarious ... just stick some UV light up your rear and sniff plenty of desinfectants then, 555 ...

 

Sounds like excellent advice to me - as usual, coming from the stable hobby-virologist.

 

[metisdead]

A troll post and the replies have been removed. 

[Tug]

Let’s all hope it’s true and that people who don’t distance and mask up create a second wave worst than the first that would be ugly for all concerned 

[sirineou]

59 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well if the sunlight doesn’t kill it, perhaps the injections of disinfectant will:

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216

[4MyEgo]

I have seen Dr Berg on Youtube videos many times stating that vitamin D which is predominantly sourced from the sun, helps to build the immune system up, that said, I see a lot of dark Thai's here, could these guys have such good immune systems that the virus doesn't affect them or make them asymptomatic to it ?

 

There is no real scientific evidence at the moment to state that the virus is less susceptible to warmer and humid conditions that I have read, but it is an interesting discussion and could well provide some light on the low numbers here in Thailand ?

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

This maybe one of the reasons Thailand has done so well currently, however with the rainy season coming upon us and lack of sun I wonder if that will have an impact?

[Cryingdick]

6 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

This maybe one of the reasons Thailand has done so well currently, however with the rainy season coming upon us and lack of sun I wonder if that will have an impact?

 

Thailand actually doesn't have that much sun and when it does it is filtered. If this is true then a place like Arizona is a good place to watch. Crystal blue skies like you would never see in the tropics. Even places like the prairies where you can still get sunburn on a cool day.

[AKJeff]

Get the chair venders to set them up two meters apart.  Ban umbrellas and open the beaches.  

 

A new medical tourism angle.

[Tug]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well if the sunlight doesn’t kill it, perhaps the injections of disinfectant will:

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216

I’m absolutely dumbfounded that trump would actually suggest such a thing that’s astonishing my god how many dummies are going to get killed by his mouth that’s just beyond words holy cow!!

[Aspaltso]

24 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

This maybe one of the reasons Thailand has done so well currently, however with the rainy season coming upon us and lack of sun I wonder if that will have an impact?

I think cases will start to increase during the rainy season. It only makes sense since other respiratory conditions like the flu come on in this time. The answer IMO is to not use air conditioning, but use a fan, and leave windows open. 

[Susco]

15 minutes ago, Tug said:

I’m absolutely dumbfounded that trump would actually suggest such a thing that’s astonishing my god how many dummies are going to get killed by his mouth that’s just beyond words holy cow!!

I'm dumbfounded that you are dumbfounded that trump would suggest such a thing, since he hasn't don't anything else ever.

 

I watched that video, and I wondered actually if he has a copyright on the word "tremendous" , because I have never heard it used so often as in the past 4 years

[gargamon]

27 minutes ago, Tug said:

I’m absolutely dumbfounded that trump would actually suggest such a thing that’s astonishing my god how many dummies are going to get killed by his mouth that’s just beyond words holy cow!!

All the morons that bought up the hydroxychloroquine will be out there buying bleach and syringes. "What have you got to lose?"

Edited April 24, 2020 by gargamon

[bendejo]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

said William Bryan, acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate.

Wow!  with a title like that you can be sure he knows what he's talking about.

(I would put a laughing icon here but all this is just too sick to laugh about)

 

 

[Cryingdick]

I am beginning to wonder if it is the talcum powder on Thai people's faces along with the whitening creams that prevents a virus to live?

[frenetic]

Seems dubious. Ecuador is suffering terribly from the pandemic including its port city.

[frenetic]

55 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Thailand actually doesn't have that much sun and when it does it is filtered. If this is true then a place like Arizona is a good place to watch. Crystal blue skies like you would never see in the tropics. Even places like the prairies where you can still get sunburn on a cool day.

This is extremely unlikely to be true. Thais go to a great deal of effort to stay pale if they must got out into the sunlight. When I forget to wear a hat and go out here, sunburn is the inevitable result.

[bendejo]

15 minutes ago, gargamon said:

All the morons that bought up the hydroxychloroquine will be out there buying bleach and syringes. "What have you got to lose?"

Well, it's DT himself who stands to lose.  These Fox News viewers who believe the bs (which even Fox doesn't) who don't take precautions will be falling off, which means less votes for DT.  The effect on his older voters is already being looked at.
 

Study: Elderly Trump voters dying of coronavirus could cost him in November

 

This thing about taking medical advice from a full-time prevaricator, well, that falls under Darwinism. 

 

 

[Skallywag]

19 minutes ago, bendejo said:

Wow!  with a title like that you can be sure he knows what he's talking about.

(I would put a laughing icon here but all this is just too sick to laugh about)

 

 

True-that, quoting a "U.S. official" during an infectious disease outbreak is ridiculous

[Aland]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well if the sunlight doesn’t kill it, perhaps the injections of disinfectant will:

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216

Some people, will literally believe anything.

[FarFlungFalang]

1 hour ago, frenetic said:

Seems dubious. Ecuador is suffering terribly from the pandemic including its port city.

Yeah but Ecuador is different it has lots of heat and humidity and deaths.Plus they don't have a Thai "Government" reporting dodgy numbers!

[Matzzon]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The coronavirus appears to weaken more quickly when exposed to sunlight, heat and humidity, a U.S. official said on Thursday

Great that the US finally is aware about something that´s been common news for 2-3 month. That´s what I call a revelation!

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

I am beginning to wonder if it is the talcum powder on Thai people's faces along with the whitening creams that prevents a virus to live?

Why doesn’t that surprise me?!

[Saint Nick]

So...I see, we are still not done with that old chestnut?!

[samran]

I'm not sure why he just doesn't go all out and recommend strychnine?

 

I do get there are a bunch of intelligent people who like the the Donald.

 

But I do wonder sometimes if he sits there in the white house asking himself "how dumb are the dumbest of my supporters.....lets see if the go with this one"

[cornishcarlos]

2 hours ago, Aspaltso said:

The answer IMO is to not use air conditioning, but use a fan, and leave windows open

 

Then you get Dengue ????????

 

We're doomed I tell you

[mtls2005]

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well if the sunlight doesn’t kill it, perhaps the injections of disinfectant will:

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216

 

Washington State Emergency Management Agency felt compelled to issue an advisory:

WA Emergency Management
@waEMD·4h

Please don't eat tide pods or inject yourself with any kind of disinfectant. 

If you do need help with #COVID19 issues, we have lots of resources at https://coronavirus.wa.gov

Just don't make a bad situation worse.

 

"...suppose you brought the light inside the body..."

 

 

 

 

[stephenterry]

Sunlight is absorbed by the skin as vit D3, which transforms into a hormone in the body and circulates in the bloodstream to help in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous. Calcium builds and strengthens teeth and bone mass and is vital for bone development and growth. This is perhaps one of the most vital functions that Vitamin D3 performs. 

Almost 99% of your Vitamin D supply is used for regulating the calcium in the body; the remaining part is utilised for strengthening the immune system and maintaining muscle strength.

 

High levels of Vit D3, Zinc and Vit C enable the immune system to defeat the Coronavirus.