An interesting abstract by Poirer in Nature looks at this in detail.
Influenza studies have shown that influenza viruses survive longer on surfaces or in droplets in cold and dry air, thus increasing the likelihood of subsequent transmission.
A similar hypothesis has been postulated for the transmission of COVID-19.
Their study looked at environmental factors and the spatial variability of the basic reproductive numbers of COVID-19 across provinces and cities in China and they showed that environmental variables alone could not explain the variability.
Their findings suggested that changes in weather, i.e. increases of temperature and humidity in spring and summer months arrived in the Northern hemisphere would not necessarily lead to a decline in case counts without the implementation of drastic public health interventions.
Dr Paul Ettlinger
Founder
The London General Practice