Study Reveals Viruses Survive on Children's Toys Can Cause Infection

According to researchers at Georgia State University, viruses, such as influenza, could survive on children's toys long enough to place children at risk for getting infectious diseases. 

The study investigated how long it takes for an enveloped virus to become inactive on the surface of a children's toy at typical indoor temperatures and relative humidity levels. They were able to recover the infectious virus from the toy up to 24 hours after the toy's contamination. 

For the study, researchers placed the virus on the toy in controlled humidity environments at 22 degrees Celsius at either 40% or 60% relative humidity.

Over a 24-hour period, 1% of the virus remained infectious on the toy at 60% relative humidity, showing a 99% reduction in the number of infectious viruses.

The virus was less stable at 40% relative humidity, which is more common in indoor environments. In the first two hours, 0.0% of the virus remained, showing a 99.9% reduction in the number of infectious viruses. Researchers were able to recover 0.0001% of the infectious virus at 10 hours.

Still, if any virus remains, there's a risk that children could become ill.

The results of the study suggest that toys may be an important channel for the transmission of viruses among children. Toys in common play areas in healthcare settings have been implicated as vehicles for outbreaks of viral illness. Children immune systems aren't fully developed so they are vulnerable to contracting infectious disease because they put their hands and foreign objects in their mouths. 

Preventing children from contracting viruses is nearly impossible. But, if your child does get sick than having a doctor available 24/7 can certainly make things better. With Total Access Medical, you and your family can have unlimited doctor's appointments and all day access to a licensed physician.