New CDC Guidance Says Coronavirus ‘Does Not Spread Easily’ From Touching Surfaces

Stephanie Stahl reports.

SAYS THESE GUIDELINES WEREDEVELOPED USING RESEARCHEVIDENCE AND EXPERIENCED FROMSCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD.WE'RE NOW HEARING THAT THECORONAVIRUS DOES NOT SPREADEASILY FROM TOUCHING SURFACES,ACCORDING TO UPDATED GUIDANCEFROM THE CDC.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIE STAHLIS HERE WITH A REVISEDINFORMATION.HI STEPHANIE.WELL, JESSICA, THE CDC ISN'TSAYING WHY IT MADE THEADJUSTMENT THAT FOCUSESATTENTION TO THE PRIMARY WAY THEVIRUS IS SPREAD.THAT'S FROM CLOSE PERSONALINTERACTS, BEING WITHIN 6 FEETOF OTHER PEOPLE.AND WHILE TOUCH ISN'T THE MAINWAY IT'S SPREAD, EXPERTS SAYIT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO WASHYOUR HANDS.INSTEAD OF ITS ORIGINALWORDING THAT SAID COVID-19 MAYBE SPREAD THROUGH CONTAMINATEDSURFACES, THE UPDATED GUIDANCEFROM THE CDC NOW SAYS THIS ISNOT THOUGHT TO BE THE MAIN WAYTHE VIRUS SPREADS.BUT WE ARE STILL LEARNING MOREABOUT THIS VIRUS.WE'RE LESS CONCERNED ABOUTTHIS BUSINESS OF TOUCHING AND OFINFECTED SERVICES.DR. JOHN THE DIRECTOR OFINFECTIOUS DISEASE AT JEFFERSONHOSPITAL SAYS WE SHOULD NOTCOMPLETELY DISCOUNT SURFACECONTAMINATION.THE CDC STILL SAYS IT MAY BEPOSSIBLE TO GET COVID-19 BYTOUCHING A SURFACE THAN YOURFACE.IF SOMEBODY HAS FRESHLYCOUGHED OR SNEEZED ON A SURFACE,AND YOU TOUCH THAT SURFACE, ANDTHEN YOU REMEMBER YOUR EYE OR DOSOMETHING LIKE THAT, UNDOUBTEDLYTHAT COULD BE A MEANS OFSPREADING INFECTION.SO THE COMBINATION OF WEARINGMASKS AS WE'RE SEEING SO MUCH INTHE PUBLIC AND WASHING HANDSFREQUENTLY MAKES A WHOLE LOT OFSENSE.Reporter: A LOT OF PEOPLEHAVE BEEN WIPING DOWN THEIRGROCERIES, THEIR THRIVERS, ISTHAT NECESSARY?I DON'T THINK SO.I KNOW PEOPLE ARE NERVOUS ANDANXIOUS IN THIS VERY DIFFICULTTIME.AND IT WOULD BE COMPLETELYDIFFICULT FOR ME TO ABSOLUTELYASSURE PEOPLE THAT THAT IS ANUNLIKELY MEANS OF INFECTION.BUT I DON'T THINK SO, I DON'TTHINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANTMEASURE FRANKLY.THE MAIN WAY COVID-19SPREADS IS PERSON TO PERSON,CLOSE CONTACT, WHICH REMAINS THEEMPHASIS FROM THE CDC.THAT'S WHY MASKS AND SOCIALDISTANCING ARE MOST IMPORTANT.AND THE CDC CONTINUES TORECOMMEND THAT YOU ROUTINELY