Is buying second-hand safe in the time of Covid-19?

  

For those lucky enough to maintain a steady income throughout the Coronavirus (or Covid-19) pandemic and no less than three national lockdowns, supporting small businesses and circular fashion may still be on the cards.

Whether you are looking to buy a vintage liner jacket to keep warm on those socially-distant walks (with one other person mind), renting a dress for your at-home Valentine's Day or simply buying for a Coronavirus-free future (a girl can dream), you may have concerns about clothes that have passed through other people's hands during the pandemic.

If so, let's take a look at exactly how safe it is to wear pre-loved clothes and what you can do to mitigate any potential danger:

Can Coronavirus, or Covid-19, survive on clothing and fabric?

Despite the virus being around for over a year, information on the virus and its many strains' exact lifespan on which surfaces is still limited, so proceed with caution and prioritise your personal health always.

In March of last year, the World Health Organisation revealed that they were: 'not certain how long the virus that causes Covid-19 survives on surfaces...[however], studies suggest that coronaviruses (including preliminary information on the Covid-19 virus) may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days.'

That being said, they also stated that the chances of catching Covid-19 through a package from an infected area or person is 'low', and have claimed it is safe.

Similarly, Harvard Health has only noted washing clothes as an 'extra precaution' for those directly caring for Covid-19 sufferers, and places 'counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables' as high-priority surfaces to clean.

Further research over 2020 continued to suggest fabric is unlikely to carry the virus longer than 24 hours in its fibres.

This means, if you are concerned your pre-loved item has come into contact with the virus, quarantine it in its package for 24 hours prior to handling. Or, wash your pre-loved or borrowed clothes with disinfectant detergent to put your mind at ease (and be sure to wash your hands).

If you need more information on how to halt the spread of Covid-19, head to the NHS' website now.

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