According to a study done by research firm Dscout, the average person touches, types, or swipes their phone approximately 2,617 times a day. We use them in all sorts of locations: bedrooms, classrooms, bathrooms, dinner tables, etc., which results in phones picking up a wide variety of bacteria. When cleaning high-touch surface areas during the pandemic, don’t forget your phone! Clean your phone one to two times a day using, depending on your phone, a cloth “dampened with soap and water” or alcohol-based wipes.
Sources:
“How to Sanitize Your Phone and Other Devices.” Federal Communications Commission, 18 May 2020, www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/how-sanitize-your-phone-and-other-devices.
Winnick, Michael. “Putting a Finger on Our Phone Obsession.” Resources for Remote, Qualitative and in-Context Research, blog.dscout.com/mobile-touches.
OWU Sponsoring Organization/Office: OWU Student Health Center.
Contact: Leigh Stavar at health@owu.edu