Coronavirus not easily spread by touching surfaces or objects, CDC says

You can't catch the coronavirus easily by touching surfaces or objects, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now emphasizing. We previously knew the coronavirus could live on surfaces but that this wasn't the main way it was transmitted. The CDC's updated COVID-19 page now makes that fact clearer with a new section.

"It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes," the CDC's site now says. "This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus."

The virus also doesn't spread easily from people to animals and animals to people, the CDC added, though it said it's "aware of a small number of pets worldwide, including cats and dogs, reported to be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19."

The CDC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on whether there was a new study that prompted the change on its website. On Thursday, spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund told The Washington Post that the changes were due to an internal review and "usability testing."

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