Can You Get Coronavirus From Your Phone?
It’s a quirk of human nature that we touch our eyes, noses and, mouths all day long. We also touch our phones many times a day.
This is a major way we can pick up infections like coronavirus.
Want to improve your chance of staying healthy?
Stop touching your cell phone then touching your face!
Someone with flu or COVID-19 touches a doorknob or counter. You come along and touch the doorknob or counter. Then you check your phone, scratch your nose or rub your eyes. Hours later, you’ve washed your hands, but the virus is still alive on your phone. You see the problem?
Unless you’re touching a cell phone and then using hand sanitizer and then touching your face, the risk is really high that a contaminated phone could lead to you having exposure.
If you’re anything like the average American, you probably check your phone more than 50 times per day. The new coronavirus outbreak and brutal flu season require some new habits.
HERE'S WHAT TO DO:
Wash Your Hands Before You Touch Your Phone
Check your phone less and wash your hands more. Use warm water and soap and rub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Work the lather to your wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails. This minor lifestyle change entirely bypasses the risk of accidentally transmitting a virus to yourself via your phone.
Avoid Touching Your Face
We all do it. We touch our faces countless times every day (on average about 16 times an hour). An itchy nose, tired eyes, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand are all things we do without a second thought.
Your mouth and eyes are areas where viruses can enter the body most easily, and all it takes is touching them with a finger already carrying an infection.
Be mindful of your intention to keep your hands away from your face. Just a brief pause can help you be more aware of what you’re doing with your hands.
Clean Your Phone
COVID-19 can live for three days on plastic and stainless steel, experts say, and is transmitted when we touch a contaminated surface, like pressing your cheek against a phone screen. You want to keep it as clean as you would normally your hands.
Some Simple Steps to Disinfect Your Phone Safely
1. Power Down Your Phone and unplug all external power sources.
2. Clean with a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or a disinfecting cloth to gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your phone, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces. If you don’t have any disinfectant wipes, spray a non-abrasive or alcohol-based (70% isopropyl) disinfectant directly on a soft lint-free cloth and wipe down your phone. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don’t submerge your device in any cleaning agents.
The Bottom Line
Taking these prevention strategies seriously is extremely important to stop the spread of this virus. Practicing good hygiene, following these guidelines, and encouraging your friends and family to do the same will go a long way in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
