Polnan, in answer to your question, the virus lives on cardboard for 24 hours.
I feel sorry for Chris Whitty as a human being and wish him a speedy recovery. However, where his job is concerned, I hold him partially responsible for the fiasco of the government's initial response to this crisis. Precious time was wasted when we could have been on lockdown, as strongly advised by the Italians, for instance. We were also advised by the WHO, who were clearly baffled by our response, and we still aren't following their guidance to test, test, test.
The government accounted for its change of. direction by saying that the scientific data now indicated much higher numbers than previously predicted. Other scientists were saying, before the government's change, that the data was there, and begging them to act. However, we were going to - in Boris's words - "take it on the chin."