Since the Coronavirus pandemic started, there has been a lot of emphasis on washing and sanitizing hands regularly to prevent the spread of the virus. However, researchers have discovered that using your smartphone is a faster way of transmitting the virus compared to not washing your hands. Every mobile phone user handles their phone at least 2,600 times daily and a single phone is covered in more than 25,127 bacteria psi. This is according to Dscout, the renowned research firm.
Another research that was published by Quartz revealed that COVID-19 can survive on a mobile phone for more than 96 hours. So, if the virus happens to rest on the phone, you can get it within 96 hours if you touch your phone without gloves. This is risky for you and anyone else who may touch your phone. At the same time, every surface that touches the smartphone is infected too. It doesn’t matter if it’s your table, pocket, or anywhere else.
Rudra Channappanavar, an immunologist from the University of Tennessee said that the COVID-19 can survive on any surface for days but smartphone screens even longer than other surfaces. This is especially so when the environment is at room temperature.
What can users do to protect their smartphones? Kaspersky published a list of tips to help people keep their mobile devices safe and Corona-free. For starters, people have been encouraged to disinfect their phones with hydrogen peroxide or Isopropyl alcohol as soon as they get back home and before they take off their gloves. Isopropyl alcohol is a good option because it isn’t going to damage your device. You don’t need to pour the substance on the device. You can soak a cotton pad with the disinfectant, squeeze it, and use it to clean your device.