Virginia Tech® home

Are virus particles dead or alive?

Virginia Tech Department of Biological Sciences

Are virus particles dead or alive?
Loading player for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEdXQ3r878E&list=PLXALtFuqIn6JFQJHxgjbTKedB8XXLIET0&index=23...

Hand sanitizer, disinfectants, and UV light are ways we keep our surroundings clean of viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. But how do these "kill" viruses? What does it mean to "kill a virus"? In this exhibit, we'll talk about the basics of how viruses work and why viruses are considered sometimes "dead" and sometimes "alive".


More exhibits