As the world tries to wait out the coronavirus, University of Hong Kong expert Leo Poon says it's probably not going away for at least two years.
But he did share some new findings about the virus with the public, and suggestions to slow its spread.
Scroll down for the full script.
Aired on ViuTVSix on 16 April 2020.
Full Script:
The race is on for a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.
This week, mainland media showed researchers injecting an experimental vaccine into some 500 volunteers in Wuhan.
But a virus expert from the University of Hong Kong cautioned that there are potential risks coming with such experiments.
(Soundbite, DR. LEO POON, Professor, HKU School of Public Health)
"It's very dangerous to just hurriedly find a group of people somewhere and inject them with a vaccine that no one's sure is safe."
Leo Poon says it'll take a long time to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine that's confirmed not to have harmful side effects.
He also doesn't believe the outbreak will be over even in two years' time.
"It's very optimistic to think the virus can disappear in two years. When we've got it under control in one place, a fresh wave of it surges elsewhere. If we're not careful, it can spread back to a place where it was contained."
Earlier this month, Poon and his team published research that showed the SARS-CoV-2 virus breaking down more quickly in higher temperatures.
And that the virus concentration can be reduced in places contaminated by COVID-19 patients just by leaving it untouched for a few days.
The same study found the virus lasts three hours on paper, up to three days on glass and banknotes, and six days on stainless steel and plastic.
Important to note, the virus was found to remain active on the outside of surgical masks for up to seven days.
Poon says that's why people shouldn't reuse them and that they should take masks off properly without touching the outer layer.
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