NHS and experts explain why you can't catch coronavirus through food or tap water

As coronavirus cases in the UK continue to rise, questions are being raised about how the illness is spread.

As Covid-19 is a new virus, it is not yet known how coronavirus spreads from person to person.

However, similar viruses are spread in cough droplets.

But Brits have been asking if coronavirus can be passed through food or tap water.

The NHS and Food Standards Agency has issued advice regarding food, whilst water treatment specialist Aqua Cure have spoken out about water.

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Can you catch coronavirus through food?

According to the NHS and the Food Standards Agency, it's very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food.

Can you catch coronavirus through drinking water?

The virus has only been around since November 2019 but so far COVID 19 has not been detected in drinking water.

The water treatment methods used in municipal mains water treatment should remove or deactivate the COVID-19 virus.

Coronavirus is spread either through the air or through contact with surfaces, not through water.

Can you catch coronavirus from a swimming pool?

As long as pools are properly maintained then no, the pool itself should not be a source of transmission.

The chlorine and bromine used as a disinfectant in swimming pools should remove or deactivate the virus.

The level or chlorination recommended by WHO (World Health Organisation) is 15mg / litre which is sufficient to kill viruses (both enveloped and non-enveloped).

Water running from a household tap (Rui Vieira/PA Wire)

However, the buildings themselves are possible transmission sources and you should disinfect your hands after touching door handles or lockers.

Gyms have been described as “high risk” locations for potential coronavirus transmission and one chain in the UK has already announced it is closing all branches in the UK with more closures expected to follow.

Which water treatment methods remove coronavirus?

Chlorination is the main water treatment as far as mains water is concerned. Water filters won’t remove bacteria or viruses unless they have a suitable micron rating.

And whereas bacteria range from 0.5 – 50 microns in size, viruses are much smaller, generally somewhere between 0.02 – 0.3 microns (or between 20 and 300 nanometres).

As such you’d need a highly specialist nano-filter to remove viruses.

Can you catch coronavirus through a water cooler?

Although the water itself won’t spread Coronavirus, they are a high-risk area as a location where people gather and multiple people come into physical contact with the cooler.

As such, thoroughly sanitising the water cooler and any other shared spaces is highly recommended.

If in any doubt, or if sanitising cannot be carried out, you should consider not using communal water coolers for the time being.