Japanese scientists: Omicron strain can persist on skin for over 21 hours

Researchers at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in western Japan have found that the omicron strain of the new coronavirus can persist on human skin for over 21 hours, Report informs, citing TASS that this was reported by the Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times.

At the same time, the omicron variant can exist on a plastic surface for nearly 193.5 hours. In both cases, it showed a longer shelf life than other strains of the infection. Meanwhile, omicron and other variants die within 15 seconds after contact with an alcohol-based sanitizer, the newspaper said.

The new strain of coronavirus (B.1.1.529), called omicron, began to spread throughout South Africa and seven other African countries in late autumn 2021. To date, it has been identified in most of the world countries. Scientists believe omicron is much more infectious than the delta strain, but biologists believe that COVID-19 occurs in its carriers in a milder form.