With the spread of the coronavirus, people are being more conscious about germs. But, have you thought of looking at your phone? Various studies have shown that smartphones are carriers to many different forms of bacteria and pathogens.
- According to a 2011 study from researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, fecal matter can be found on one out of every six smartphones.
- A 2009 study looking at bacteria being removed from phones saw that mobile phones are reservoirs of pathogens since they touch different users all having different health conditions.
- A University of Arizona study found a worker's office desk - where most of us leave our phones for around 40 hours a week - has hundreds of times more bacteria per square inch than that of a typical office toilet seat.
- Studies have also shown that serious pathogens can be found on smartphones, even E. coli.
- Teenagers are the biggest culprits of this.
How can we combat this? By cleaning our smartphones regularly. This can be done using disinfectants and cleaners or even a microfiber cloth and a little bit of water.