Expert: Threat of coronavirus very real at Atlanta's airport

ATLANTA - The threat that the COVID-19 pathogen can exist on surfaces is real, so says a professor from Georgia Tech. Philip Santangelo, a biomedical engineer, says the sometimes deadly virus may still be on a surface after 24 hours.

At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, there is a massive clean-up operation underway in an attempt to sanitize everything from customer service counters to air freight shipments.

Although passenger airline traffic has been suspended or restricted from other areas in the world, Atlanta continues to receive air cargo from China, South Korea, and other regions that have been hit harder than what we have seen so far in the U.S.

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There are Georgia dock workers and truckers who must handle those shipments. Santangelo says they should wear personal protective equipment in an effort to prevent coming into contact with coronavirus.

And even when you remove gloves, Santangelo says, it is best to wash your hands.

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The most likely threat from a surface contact is when an individual touches his or her face.