The findings released by the head of Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate(DHS-S&T), Bill Bryan on Thursday, detail the effects of solar light, heat and humidity on the half life – the time it takes for the number of virus particles to decay and halve in number – of the contagious wuhanvirus.
The findings show that the half life decreases as the weather warms up and the ultraviolet levels increases.
Speaking at President Trump's wuhanvirus press conferenvce at the White house, Bryan said, "our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect solar light seems to have on killing the virus, both surfaces and in the air. We’ve seen a similar effect with temperature and humidity as well, where increasing the temperature and humidity – or both – is generally less favorable to the virus."
The DHS-S&T Head explained, "the virus is dying at a much more rapid rate just from exposure to higher temperatures…In summary, within the conditions we’ve tested to date, the virus in droplets of saliva survives best in indoors and dry conditions. The virus does not survive as well in droplets of saliva. And the virus dies the quickest in the presence of direct sunlight in these conditions."
Discussing how they conducted their experiments, Bryan explained that the tests had been conducted by suspending a particle of the virus in air inside a drum, with help from the prestigious Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.
He also revealed that bleach and concentrated alcohol solution have been found to kill the virus within five minutes and 30 seconds respectively.
WATCH the full presentation by Bill Bryan