• Question: Would you be able to get the coronavirus in space?

    Asked by anon-245544 to Sam, Samantha, Nicol, Lori-Ann, Liam, David on 16 Mar 2020.
    • Photo: David Sobral

      David Sobral answered on 16 Mar 2020:

      It seems like the virus requires small (water) droplets to remain active, so very likely it wouldn’t be spread up there, and space is so big anyway. However, in confined spaces like the international space station this would be a problem of course.

    • Photo: Sam Frampton

      Sam Frampton answered on 16 Mar 2020:

      Astronauts in space can get sick, but it’s not very likely that you can catch an infectious disease because you’re so far away from most people! Astronauts go through a lot of tests before they go to space to make sure they’re healthy 🙂

    • Photo: Lori-Ann Foley

      Lori-Ann Foley answered on 16 Mar 2020:

      Although things sent to space are made as clean as possible, the astronauts on the space station have done tests to see what viruses and bacteria and dirt get up there. Although they keep it clean, they found that there are still bacteria and things on some surfaces and equipment. But for things going to space, NASA and ESA and Roscosmos always make sure none of the astronauts are sick before they go up there. So the space station is as safe as it can be, and in the future other rockets and communities on the moon and maybe Mars will be as clean as they can be, too.

    • Photo: Samantha Faircloth

      Samantha Faircloth answered on 16 Mar 2020:

      Hello Dancer, Only if astronauts on the same space-ship were in contact with someone who had contracted it from Earth. Otherwise, there is no virus in space 🙂

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