Submitted by: Matthew Robson May 21, 2020

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, millions of people are staying home and a good number are likely receiving more packages than usual in addition to what’s in their mailbox. With a recent study finding that the virus could be detected for up to 24 hours on paperboard, do these mailed items pose additional risk in transmitting the disease? According to the World Health Organization website, the risk is low “of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, traveled and exposed to different conditions and temperature.” Dr. Joseph Vinetz, an infectious disease doctor at Yale Medicine, weighed in on the question about mail. He said that special precautions weren’t needed in handling mail as long as people washed their hands “any time you’re contacting something that comes in from outside your home,” Today reported March 19.