Coronavirus On Beach Towels?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned Americans about being on crowded beaches during the Coronavirus pandemic going so far as to suggest individuals and families draw a 12-foot circle in the sand around them so that no one gets any closer. But what about beach towels? Can beach towels be a carrier of the Coronavirus?

The CDC is not totally clear about the spread of COVID 19 through sharing towels. The agency simply states, "Launder towels and clothing according to the manufacturer's instructions. Use the warmest appropriate water temperature and dry items completely."

In general towels are bacteria magnets. What you leave behind when you use a towel to shower or dry yourself is shocking. Skin, natural bacteria and millions of microbes. All of what you leave behind usually has no bearing on your health because it's all part of you. But sharing towels may not be so safe, especially during the current pandemic as the Coronavirus is known to live on surfaces.

When just out of the shower, bath, hot tub, pool or on the beach never share towels. Also, towels should be washed after every use.