Between polyester, a poly-cotton blend and 100% cotton fabrics, the polyester posed the greatest risk, even after 72 hours; on full-cotton samples, the virus lasted one day, while the poly-cotton blend remained contaminated by viral droplets — designed to mimic human saliva — for just six hours.
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The breakthrough finding could be especially dangerous when it comes to clothing worn by health-care workers, said Dr. Katie Laird, a microbiologist and author of the study.
If not frequently washed, the fabrics could help transmit the virus from patient to patient.
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