Coronavirus can be spread in tiny droplets from the nose and mouth of an infected person as they cough, so it could be picked up from touching contaminated surfaces.
A single cough can produce up to 3,000 droplets and these can land on clothing and surfaces, and some of the smaller particles can remain in the air.
But spread of the infection is more likely when people are within about two metres of each other, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned.
Here, we take a look at how long the virus can survive on different surfaces.
How long does it last on hard surfaces?
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on March 17, the virus was still detectable on copper for up to four hours, on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours.
The findings suggest Covid-19 might last this long on door handles, plastic-coated or laminated worktops and other hard surfaces.
Your phone is also a high-contact hard surface, which should be regularly cleaned "as many times as you wash your hands".
Some experts have even warned that buttons pressed by pedestrians to stop traffic before crossing the road may spread the virus.
But the amount of virus decreased rapidly over time on each of those surfaces, researchers said.
It is still not totally clear how long this new virus can last outside the human body, but studies on other coronaviruses, including Sars, found it can survive on metal, glass and plastic for as long as nine days without disinfection.
Can it survive on clothes?
It is not yet clear how long the virus can survive on clothes and there has been no specific research into this.
But some experts have warned people to be careful of metal zips and plastic buttons on clothes, as studies have shown the virus can survive on these hard surfaces for up to 72 hours.
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Is there a risk of being infected by deliveries?
There is likely a very low risk of spread from food products or packaging, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
But studies show the virus can survive on cardboard for 24 hours, so if your package has arrived in a cardboard box, experts advise throwing away the cardboard quickly once opened, and washing your hands.
The product inside the package is less likely to be contaminated with the virus, as it may have taken a few days to arrive in the post.
The same advice applies to shopping which can arrive in plastic bags, where the virus can last for up to 72 hours.
You should always avoid touching your face if there is a possibility you have touched a contaminated surface and anything new which is brought into your home should be wiped down, experts say.
However, it is worth noting that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, touching a surface or object with the virus and then touching your face "is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads".
The good news is, according to research from the Journal of Hospital Infection, coronaviruses can be inactivated within a minute by disinfecting surfaces with 62-71 per cent alcohol, or 0.5 per cent hydrogen peroxide bleach or household bleach containing 0.1 per cent sodium hypochlorite.
