Your Phone and Germs
We all do it. We bring our phones everywhere. Hate to admit it, but even to the bathroom. It is safe to say that our phones carry a tremendous amount of germs; even more germs than the toilet seat itself.
TIME reports, “Scientists at the University of Arizona have found that cell phones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats.”
With COVID-19 becoming a global pandemic, quarantine procedures are quickly being implemented. For some, there is barely enough notice to stock up on groceries and toiletries beforehand. For others, the fear has jumpstarted a surge in online purchases of bulk cleaning supplies and loads of hand sanitizer.
With such a frenzy, consumers may forget that all such activity (digital shopping and digital entertainment) is taking place on a top contributor of germs: their cell phone.
Below are some key insights into combating COVID-19 during the digital and mobile age.
How to Stay Healthy During the Outbreak
1. Clean your phone and e-readers.
In lieu of the outbreak, Apple has changed its stance on proper cleaning techniques for Apple products, including the iPhone. Apple previously has stated that consumers should not disinfect their Apple products using harsh chemical wipes. However, Apple updated its support page on Monday noting that Clorox Disinfecting Wipes can be used for disinfecting.
Considering almost everything takes place on a phone, whether that be reading, shopping, or gaming, the safest bet is to wipe down all mobile and tech devices as soon as possible.
2. Wash your hands.
This seems like a no brainer. However, according to HuffPost, only 66 percent of Americans actually wash their hands. Most consumers use their hands continuously throughout the day: greeting someone, typing at work, handling a phone.
Following tip one, if you disinfected your phone but your hands are not washed, germs are right back where they started. The silver lining, the Coronavirus has peaked searches in Google about washing your hands.
Be smart. There is no reason to not wash your hands.
3. Avoid close contact with those who are sick.
Close contact and crowds go hand-in-hand. Both situations are a high-risk situation for getting infected. Chicago has taken this precaution seriously as it was announced Wednesday morning that the Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations this weekend, including the parade and river dyeing, are canceled.
Keeping a distance from others does not mean total social isolation, though. Texting and FaceTiming may be the alternative for a while.
4. Stay home from work or school if you are feeling ill.
If symptoms do arise, the best advice is to simply stay home. Companies across the U.S. have taken this into great consideration as remote-work plans become the next best option.
“Bloomberg News reported that JPMorgan Chase had asked 10% of its approximately 127,000 employees to work from home, thereby allowing the company to test its plan for office closures.”
Remote-work plans can include meetings via conference calls or Slack messages, secured access while at home, and flexibility overall. The key takeaway is most companies want their employees to feel comfortable and safe during the outbreak.
Key Updates on COVID-19
Staying informed is easily accessible. Sign up for TIME’s free Coronavirus Brief newsletter for all the latest updates.
eMagazines is wishing everyone the best in staying healthy. Business will continue to operate as usual.
Tori Matkin, Marketing Manager
