The novel coronavirus can likely live up to 96 hours on phone screens

[Mike 03]

Some DUers have been asking about how long the virus survives on a surface. This article was published yesterday. The figures are based on how long other coronaviruses survive, SARS in particular.

Source: Quartz
The novel coronavirus can likely live up to 96 hours on phone screens

But the virus can also likely live on the surfaces these droplets touch, sometimes for multiple days, says Rudra Channappanavar, an immunologist who has studied coronaviruses at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Glass in particular—like the kind on screen of the smartphone you’re probably reading this on—can harbor live coronaviruses for up to 96 hours, or four days at room temperature.

Times for survival of SARS:

Maximum time SARS-coronavirus can live on various surfaces at room temperature
The novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19 is a close relative of SARS and likely has a similar lifespan on surfaces.

Surface Hours
Plastered wall 36
Formica (laminate material on counter tops) 36
Plastic 72
Stainless steel 72
Glass 96

These estimates come from data collected during the 2003 SARS outbreak and reported to the World Health Organization. The two viruses are genetic cousins: Both infect our airways, have a single strand of genetic material, called RNA, and have proteins protruding from their shells. The virus behind the SARS outbreak is technically named SARS-CoV; the new virus is SARS-CoV-2.

In theory, it’d be pretty easy to pick up the novel coronavirus from your phone screen. If someone coughed or sneezed near your phone on your morning commute while you were scrolling through social media, you could inadvertently touch that droplet and then touch your nose or mouth.

More at link: https://qz.com/1810508/covid-19-can-likely-live-up-to-96-hours-on-your-phone/

[LizBeth]

1. I walk into work and use disinfectant to wipe down keyboards, phones, counters and pens.

And I do it again every couple three hours.

[Tucker08087]

2. We need to think like this.

We also need the truth. What kills this virus? Alcohol? Bleach? Does it need to be left alone to die without a host?
This information is critical. Only scientific facts can prevent the spread of this virus and eventually (hopefully) beat it.

[LizBeth]

4. That would be good. I deal with a number of customers up and down the west coast,

and internationally. Lots of people. I am regularly washing hands with hot water and soap in at least a 20 sec wash. This takes lots of effort and keeping hands away from face. We do not realize the number of times our hands go to our face for an itch or just resting head, until we pay attention. And now when we hear a cough, everyone looks at that person, lol. Last night I was helping someone and a young one cough. I looked at her and said, corona virus? She said, no. Something stuck in her throat. It was funny. I had another customer in there when I wiped down and we discussed it. I had just pulled out to wipe again, when he walked in. Told him to really, not take it personally. So a chuckle there. I had just read about the first case in our area about an hour away.

[LiberalArkie]

5. Put 70% isopropyl alcohol in a fine spray bottle and it works perfectly and then a clean wipe and

wipe off the excess. Been doing that for 20 years. It also makes a fantastic room deodorizer.

[abqtommy]

6. Beat me to it. When my ex worked for Sony I learned that rubbing alcohol is great for general

electronics/screen cleaning/sanitizing and won't damage those surfaces. Take that, COVID-19! Thanks,
didn't know that about room deodorizer.

[LiberalArkie]

7. As long as you associate the smell as clean it works.. But to me I like the clean smell more that

the perfume smell. Get a fin spray bottle and lint will fall from the air.