Can Shoes Carry Coronavirus? Here's What Research Says

A new study has found that shoes too can be contaminated with Coronavirus, especially if you have walked in crowded spaces such as markets or hospitals.

New Delhi: A new research shows that your shoes can too carry and spread Coronavirus. Earlier it was found that the virus could survive on different surfaces for different lengths of time. For example, the coronavirus is now known to survive on cardboard boxes for up to 24 hours and on steel and plastic, this virus can survive for up to 3 days. This study was a great help as it brought researchers closer to understand the lifespan of the virus and the fact that Coronavirus doesn’t just from human to human contact but also spread through contaminated inanimate surfaces. A new study has found that shoes too can be contaminated with Coronavirus, especially if you have walked in crowded spaces such as markets or hospitals. Most shoes are made of materials like leather, plastic, and rubber. If a person who is infected comes in contact with your or sneezes/coughs near you making the droplets fall on your shoe studies have suggested that this virus can survive on shoes for up to 5 days. This, in turn, can be a dangerous way to spread the disease unknowingly for a prolonged period of time. Shoes are also a breeding ground for bacteria and virus as it is always in close contact with dirt and germs. These bacteria and viruses can be carried with you all the way home where you can infect not just your but your family as well. Protect yourself and your family from spreading the virus by taking these simple precautions:

• Remove your shoes before entering your house
• Wash the shoes worn to public places with water and soap
• If your shoes are machine washable, you can wash them in the machine.
• Leather and other materials which couldn’t be washed with water must be wiped properly with a good disinfectant
• Place a clean pair of slippers or shoes outside your doorstep and change into them before entering your house
• Try not wearing open-toed shoes outside, and if you do wash your feet when you come back home

Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water