There is evidence that the virus survives for a shorter time in normal conditions than in laboratory experiments such as this.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/aiop-pmu020321.php

 

News Release 9-Feb-2021
Porous materials unfavorable for coronavirus survival

Why coronavirus survives for less time on porous materials and the implications for the safety of different materials in schools, workplaces, and public spaces

American Institute of Physics

As COVID-19 spreads via respiratory droplets, researchers have become increasingly interested in the drying of droplets on impermeable and porous surfaces. Surfaces that accelerate evaporation can decelerate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

In Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, researchers from IIT Bombay show a droplet remains liquid for a much shorter time on a porous surface, making it less favorable to survival of the virus.

The researchers found the coronavirus can survive for four days on glass, seven days on plastic, and seven days on stainless steel. But on paper and cloth, the virus survived for only three hours and two days, respectively.

"Based on our study, we recommend that furniture in hospitals and offices, made of impermeable material, such as glass, stainless steel, or laminated wood, be covered with porous material, such as cloth, to reduce the risk of infection upon touch," said author Sanghamitro Chatterjee.

Similarly, the researchers suggest seats in public places, such as parks, shopping malls, restaurants, and railway or airport waiting halls, could be covered with cloth to alleviate the risk of disease spread.

For both impermeable and porous surfaces, 99.9% of the droplet's liquid content is evaporated within the first few minutes. After this initial state, a microscopic thin residual liquid film remains on the exposed solid parts, where the virus can still survive. 

•••••