Does sunlight kill coronavirus?

Does sunlight rapidly destroy the coronavirus? A White House presentation on a mysterious government study says so -- but some scientists have called for caution as we await more evidence.

An official from the Department of Homeland Security made the eye-catching announcement during President Donald Trump's daily pandemic briefing Thursday, showing a dramatic reduction in the virus' viability under the sun's rays.

On a stainless steel surface in sunlight, the virus shrinks to half its amount in a matter of just two minutes in 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 24 degrees Celsius) heat and 80 percent humidity, compared to six hours in the dark, it said.

When the virus was suspended in the air, its half-life in sunlight was just a minute and a half when the temperature was 70 to 75 degrees with 20 percent humidity, as opposed to one hour in the dark.

Beyond the headline results, there are so far few details, making it impossible for experts to independently validate the findings.

We do know that the solar radiation contained in ultraviolet light can be very effective at dealing with certain pathogens.

It is entirely possible that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is more vulnerable to regular sunlight than its older cousin. But not all microbes respond in the same way. The lack of details only raises more questions than conclusions.