12 Flu “Myths” That Are Actually True

True: The flu virus can live awhile on surfaces

If you think living organisms like viruses and bacteria die quickly when they’re not infecting you, think again. The flu virus can live on hard surfaces up to one day; it can live in the air in moisture droplets (like those caused by a sneeze) for several hours, too. On your skin, however, it dies rapidly: The virus will only last five minutes on your hands. On other parts of your body, it may linger up to 15 minutes. That’s still plenty of time for you to bring the virus from a surface to your hands and then to your nose or mouth.

“The most common way the flu virus is spread is when hands that have been in contact with contaminated surfaces go near your face,” says Papatya Tankut, RPh, vice president of pharmacy affairs at CVS Health. “That’s why you should wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based cleanser.” Just watch out for these 10 hand-washing mistakes everyone makes.

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12 Flu “Myths” That Are Actually True Reader's Digest