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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says the coronavirus “does not spread easily” through touching surfaces or objects.
In early March, the federal health agency was warning that it “may be possible” to pass on the virus from contaminated surfaces, according to Fox News.
Its guidelines now include a section on ways the virus doesn’t easily spread — including from touching surfaces or objects.
“It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes,” the CDC webpage states.
“This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus.”
Other ways the virus doesn’t easily spread is from animals to people or people to animals, the CDC’s updated webpage states.
It’s unclear when the CDC updated its guidance. The agency didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The agency continues to note that the virus is thought to mainly spread from person-to-person — even by those not showing symptoms.
Specifically, it mainly spreads between people who are in close contact, within 6 feet of each other, when someone with the infection coughs, sneezes or talks, causing droplets to land in another persons mouth or nose.
The Food and Drug Administration said last month there was no evidence to suggest the virus can spread through food, or what it’s wrapped in and that there was no need to wipe down groceries.
“The biggest issue is that people are picking up COVID-19 from other people,” Marilyn Roberts, a microbiologist and professor at the University of Washington previously told The Post.
“They’re not picking it up from surfaces.”
