Wipe Them Phones
@sweetashoney (3597)
United States
March 7, 2020 11:57am CST
I am writing this discussion because of one of the the things that experts are saying about the spread of the coronavirus.
Last night I watched the 20 /20 two hour live broardcase about the coronavirus. During the broadcast the experts stated that they believed that cell phones are one of the reasons why the virus spread so quickly and is still spreading now. They alo said they believe cell phones is part of the reason why many people got the virus. They said people use their phones and handle them all the time and lay them down everywhere.
This makes sense to me, a person places their phone on a serface containing the virus, they recieve a phone call or are placing a call, so they pick the phone up and put it next to their ear, which is close to their mouth and talk.
Bamb..you have now been exposed to the virus!
After the broadcast I did a little research on this.
According to one site, as quoted from the from the article written by Ben Axelson, he stated "According to an analysis from the Journal of Hospital Infection, coronaviruses and other germs can live on surfaces like glass, metal or plastic for up to nine days. And phones are known to be more bacteria ridden than toilet seats.
That means no matter how much hand washing and sanitizing you do, if you turn around and pick up an unclean phone right away, you are potentially exposing yourself to those same germs you just got rid of. "
Another thing as quoted from Ben Axelson's article is:
"Don’t use your phone on the toilet. One survey found 88 percent of people have admitted to doing so, but a report from the Chinese Center for Disease Control suggests that coronavirus may have been able to spread so quickly because it’s been “transmitted through the potential fecal-oral route.”
So their advice is to wipe your phones, Apple and Samsung say do not use rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant wipe and other disinfective products except for on the case because they could damage your phone. To clean them they recommended using a slightly damp micofiber cloth with a little soap on it to wipe the surface with.
37 people like this
33 responses
@LindaOHio (222534)
• United States
7 Mar 20
Menus are also another culprit. I hardly ever use my cell phone.
4 people like this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
Oh yea, I can see your point about menus. I don't even use a cell phone. For one thing, I can't ever keep a charger, everyone keeps taking them.
2 people like this
@dfollin (27267)
• United States
7 Mar 20
Yes, but that could be with anything the door handle to my apartment building, the door handles to the stores, doctors offices, the shopping carts, the cans on the shelves at the stores, the change you get at the store or bank. The beds with metal frames at the hospital aren't safe then. I know people that are canceling their vacations! Hmmm, Maybe we should all just stay home. It's good to be careful but I think we are all getting very parinoid.
Back in the day we could of picked it up from the pay phones.
@dfollin (27267)
• United States
8 Mar 20
@sweetashoney Oh I can see it too. I very rarely sit my phone down in a store, except at a restaurant on the table!
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
@dfollin I think that's a smart thing to do, even when there's no virus running around.
That's like a post I aw on Facebook, The post showed the person looking like he was thinking and saying "you mean it took all this for people to understand they need to wash their hands" I thought it was funny myself, but really that's the truth! lol
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
Everything your saying is true, but they were saying that was one of the main reasons they think it spread so quick in China. I for one can see that, a person gets it because their phone has it on it and then it speads to locations like your talking about. Then it keeps going and going. But you are right, you have as much chance of getting off your phone as you do getting from the places your talking about.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59830)
• Philippines
9 Mar 20
Thanks for sharing this.
Definitely makes sense since everyone has a mobile phone.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
28 Mar 20
yeah, I've been wiping my cell. Also avoid things like touching the gas pump and then your face.
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
17 Mar 20
@TheHorse I love to read comments from people that has a little sense of humor. Ya'll two are making my laugh right now! lol I for one don't never get tired of reading the humor, it my time go by a little better!
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189902)
• Boise, Idaho
8 Mar 20
Nine days! Wow! Thanks for sharing this. Computers might be another if it is shared. Laptops especially.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
You are right, especially laptops or even Ipads, I would think anything that you might lay down on a infected area.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (40032)
• Toccoa, Georgia
7 Mar 20
Very interesting. I never thought about cell phones being dirty.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
I would think they would be about as dirty as money would be, look how many times that changes hands.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (69183)
• Centralia, Washington
7 Mar 20
I don't have a smart phone. I do have a flip phone but half the time I forget and leave it at home.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
I would say say to even be carefull with a flip phone and wipe it. I think the same thing could happen using them to, laying it down on the infected area, picking it up, handling it, pressing the numbers and then placing it to your ear. So I could see were people could get off of a flip phone to , if you really think about it.
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
@sallypup You must be like me, I have cell phones, I just never use them. Still be careful though if you do use it away from home.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (69183)
• Centralia, Washington
7 Mar 20
@sweetashoney My flip phone is mostly home, picking up fur balls from the critters.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
I see that all the time myself, I seen one person comment on here that you could pick it up from anywhere, that people are getting very parinoid. The way I look at it is, better to be safe then sorry!
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (13048)
• United States
9 Mar 20
@sweetashoney I am the same way. Do all you can to prevent it and hopefully will.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
9 Mar 20
@noni1959 That's a good way to look at it. I know there are those that think there is no point in doing this, but why take that chance. It's not like it takes a lot of work to just wipe a phone.
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
I think it is to, everything we can do to get this under control I think will help. How are things were your at, are there any cases there?
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
@paigea Hopefully it doesn't start spreading there to then.
1 person likes this
@paigea (36143)
• Canada
7 Mar 20
@sweetashoney I think there some possible cases in Alberta. The people are self isolating until the tests confirms.
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
8 Mar 20
Yes...this is so very true . I completely agree that this is that should definitely bed done.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
Yes, everyon needs to get the word out so everyone will know. I'm hoping my post will help a little bit. There are so many parts of the world that have effected by this.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
8 Mar 20
@sweetashoney but most of the people only know to raise the alarm and nothing else.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
I think that would be good ,at least while this is going on.
1 person likes this
@Bensen32 (28658)
• United States
8 Mar 20
@sweetashoney Yea, it certainly can not hurt right.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
7 Mar 20
i have a UV cleaner that bathes the phone and kills everything!
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
That was one thing that a person could use, but I seen on there that the UV Clean Phone Sanitizer cost $79.99 and that's probally not including tax ans shipping cost. That's the smartest thing to use, but a lot of people can't afford to buy something like that. I bet after while the price on that will even go up.
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
@DocAndersen Yea, if your using it for 9 phones the price is not bad. Breaking down the cost it would be somewere around $7.50 per phone.
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
7 Mar 20
@sweetashoney i actually backed them on Kickstarter three years ago (for a lot less money) but i agree the price will go up.
in a house, with 5 phones (or in our case 9 including work phones) it is actually cheaper.
The wipes have to be used properly or they can damage the device.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
9 Mar 20
I think your messing the point here, their not just saying phones is what spread it. Their saying they think that's what helped spread the virus so fast, think about how many people use cell phones in the world anymore. To me it's not hard to picture, a person gets the virus this way and spreads it everywhere, then times that by al the other people that did the same thing and then others came in contact with it because of this. Yes, I can see why that would be one of the reasons that it spread so fast. Then when the people that were exposed to the virus returned to their countries, it started getting spread there to. This is how the cases have started out so far here in the United States, by people that have been to a country were the virus is spreading.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
8 Mar 20
I have to wipe my phone multiple times a day because my boys will touch it with sticky/yucky hands at times and it drives me crazy. Lol. Who knew they were actually helping? 
@RasmaSandra (98033)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Mar 20
Very good point I am very lucky then I don't take my cell phone anywhere because I have no one to call.
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
10 Mar 20
I think that's one of the reasons I don't carry one. I just make sure I have someones number in my purse just in case I have to call someone though.
1 person likes this
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
8 Mar 20
I believe that, I would say the tv remote would come in 2nd place!
@sweetashoney (3597)
• United States
7 Mar 20
I think that's what everyone needs to do right now. I guess man will just have to keep theirs in their back pocket! Are they could buy one of the fanny packs like people used to wear! lol
1 person likes this
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
11 Mar 20
Thankfully wiping my phone is something i.alreafy do but great reminder!
