# Any information on whether refrigeration/freezing kills/preserves the virus? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [April 8, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-information-on-whether-refrigeration-freezing-kills-preserves-the-virus/851383 "2020-04-08T23:02:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 2
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-information-on-whether-refrigeration-freezing-kills-preserves-the-virus/851383/2 "2020-04-09T16:21:03Z")
From the New Jersey COVID-19 info hub: [https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/coronavirus-information/about-novel-coronavirus-2019/will-the-coronavirus-survive-in-the-refrigerator-or-freezer](https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/coronavirus-information/about-novel-coronavirus-2019/will-the-coronavirus-survive-in-the-refrigerator-or-freezer) \*A 2010 study used two viruses that are related to the COVID-19 virus to look at the effects of temperature and humidity on viral survival. Researchers found that both lower temperatures and lower humidity helped viruses survive longer. In particular, at 4 degrees C, or 40 degrees F, and 20% relative humidity, more than two thirds of the viruses survived for 28 days. On the other end of the spectrum, at 40 degrees C, or 104 degrees F, and 80% humidity, the viruses survived for less than 6 hours. This suggests that coronaviruses survive better on surfaces at colder temperatures. It is alsoexpected that the virus would survive being frozen.\* So, disinfect the packaging of your perishables well before refrigerating/freezing, I’d say. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-information-on-whether-refrigeration-freezing-kills-preserves-the-virus/851383)._