Does the cold weather affect the virus? Will snow infect novel coronavirus?

The cold wave is coming, and many areas are beginning to cool down. Will cooling affect the epidemic? The weather forecast shows that it will snow in Wuhan tomorrow. Does it affect novel coronavirus? Will it aggravate the infection? Let's have a look.

Does the cold weather affect the virus? The relationship between virus and temperature is very complicated. Generally speaking, influenza virus is sensitive to heat, and the activity of novel coronavirus may decrease in high temperature in summer, but some enteroviruses will also appear frequently in high temperature weather. But what is certain is that the cold season is the season of high incidence of respiratory viral diseases, especially influenza viruses, and it is necessary to strengthen prevention and control.

When the weather changes suddenly, especially when the weather turns from warm to cold, it is easier to make people infected with diseases, and it will also make it difficult to adjust the individual's immunity. For example, sudden exposure to cold air may induce colds and asthma, increase the burden of cardiopulmonary function, have a greater impact on people with basic diseases, and aggravate the original basic diseases.

Novel coronavirus's pneumonia, like most influenza viruses, likes cold and fears heat. The virus is relatively stable at about 4℃, and its survival time in the outside world will be prolonged, and it can be stored for several years at -60℃. However, with the increase of temperature, the resistance of the virus decreases, and it can be inactivated in water at 56℃ for 30 minutes.

Therefore, the temperature dropped in these two days, and medical experts reminded the public to strengthen prevention, especially the elderly, infants, pregnant women and people with basic diseases.

Experts suggest that personal protection should pay attention to keeping warm and arranging home life reasonably. Families can take regular ventilation to minimize going out. When they have to go out, put on a mask and get used to it before going out.

Attention should also be paid to other aspects of protection, such as washing hands frequently, not making loud noises at close range, paying attention to cough etiquette, keeping the environment clean and disinfecting when necessary.

Will snow infect novel coronavirus? Don't worry that novel coronavirus will infect it through snow. In fact, there is no necessary relationship between climate conditions and the prevalence of respiratory infectious diseases, and there is no necessary causal relationship between snowfall and the rise and fall of respiratory diseases.

Coronavirus mainly accumulates in human body, and it relies on human tissues to achieve its own replication and proliferation. It will soon die in the air.

"If there is a virus in the air, wouldn't it be in danger of infection under any circumstances, so it is unlikely. You don't have to associate snow with the epidemic, and you don't have to worry that the virus will spread through snow. " Wang Linghang said.

Snowing and cooling can't kill the flu virus. Influenza virus is not heat-resistant, it can be inactivated at 56℃ for 30 minutes, and its infectivity is quickly lost at room temperature. But its cold tolerance is very strong, it can survive for several weeks at 0℃ ~ 4℃, and there is no problem at MINUS 20℃, and it can survive for a long time after freeze-drying. In this way, the more winter, the more active the influenza virus is.

Theoretically speaking, snowy weather is not helpful to alleviate the epidemic, because novel coronavirus is spread by droplets, contact and other means. Professor Wang Guiqiang said that snow can "adsorb viruses", which is a misunderstanding.

Snow is certainly not a bad thing, and it can bring benefits to the prevention and control of infectious diseases, but there are still many uncertainties about how much it can play in the prevention and control of epidemic situations. No matter what the weather is like, it is very important to protect yourself. Scientific response and rational treatment are more important than a snow or any weather change. Professor Wang Guiqiang also suggested that scientific self-protection methods such as wearing masks, washing hands frequently and gathering less are more effective.