Doctors told how not to hand the coronavirus along with a New Year's gift

"Almost any surface can contain pathogens. The Sars-CoV-2 virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, can live on money, it lasts up to 24 hours on cardboard surfaces, and up to three days on plastic and metal surfaces", - epidemiologist Olga Nenastina told RIA Novosti.

She warned that an impressive list of toys and other New Year's gifts could be potentially dangerous due to the possibility of carrying COVID-19.

“Therefore, when choosing gifts in shopping malls, it is imperative to wear masks and disposable gloves”, - the expert advised.

Vladislav Zhemchugov, an immunologist, a specialist in especially dangerous infections, recommended treating the purchased gifts with a disinfectant immediately upon returning from the store.

"If there are any gifts, I think it is easier to take them out on the balcony for a while, and if vegetables and fruits - just wash well with running water", - said Zhemchugov.

Let us recall that earlier the infectious disease specialist Yevgeny Timakov predicted that in five years the covid would become more infectious. Meanwhile, a new strain of coronavirus has already been identified in the UK, which is spreading 70% faster than normal. The new variant of the virus has already spread to all regions of the country, even where the most stringent restrictions have been introduced.