Coronavirus: Are everyday objects, a risk of infection?

Experts always emphasize the importance of regular hand washing in the fight against the Coronavirus is. But that’s good enough as a precaution?

Disinfect for safety in addition, your Smartphone, wallet and keys?

Hand washing as a protection against the Coronavirus

“The list of objects that may be contaminated, is endless,” is the sober and kind of scary finding of Dr. Stephen Berger, cofounder of the global network for infectious diseases and epidemiology in Tel Aviv, in an interview with the Portal ‘WebMD’.

However, the expert is directly clear: “The good news is that Most of it is of no danger.”

Accordingly, there was no reason to do this, each summed up to to object without delay to clean. With one exception: “your own hands!”

Money is underestimated as a Carrier?

The Coronavirus is transmitted via droplet infection. The Virus enters the way through the nose or mouth into the body.

“In most cases, because someone coughed a few feet away or perhaps even just breathing has,” explains Dr. Berger.

A Transmission of the disease through items is not excluded, however, entirely.

For example, the common scenario is that a Sick in his Hand, coughs, and then a door handle, a shopping cart, or handling money, and its virus in order to the objects transmits.

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Another Person comes up with these virus surfaces-loaded in contact, the own hands from the danger zone: A short Scratch on the nose, with the out of hair from the face or the meal swipe is enough with the fingers to bring the virus through the mucous membranes in the body.

Money is a particularly good example of the risk of infection, noted Dr. Berger.

“Few people realize that the money […] ‘is dirty’. Have already can, many researchers demonstrate that on paper seem to have an amazing variety of bacteria, parasites and other impurities prevails.”

The Swiss health office, for example, found that influenza viruses can survive seem to be up to 17 days in length on money.

Experts such as the Berlin virologist Professor Dr. Christian Drosten, a appreciate the risk, over the money with the Coronavirus to infect, however, as a low-infection success mostly on the back of the throat – “and we put the Finger in the neck”, says Drosten, in the NDR Podcast ‘Coronavirus Update’.

Disinfect Can, but not a Must

Even if the Knowledge of the amount of viruses and bacteria surrounded by a day, can be intimidating, sees Dr. Berger in “care and Hygiene” therefore, the best solution in dealing with the Coronavirus.

This may include the use of disinfectants.

The American center for control and prevention of diseases, for example, to clean Smartphone and co. regularly, either in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines or with wipes or Sprays that contain at least 70% alcohol.

Damage to the could not, however, it is not absolutely necessary, as long as you make sure to wash your hands regularly with soap and water, according to the expert.

Sources

  • WebMD: Are Objects Like Keys, Phone, Money COVID-19 Risk?, archived from the original on 21.04.2020: https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200420/are-objects-like-keys-phone-money-covid19-risk#2
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cleaning and Disinfection for Households, archived from the original on 21.04.2020: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html

Larissa Bright Mouth

*The article “Coronavirus: Are everyday objects, a risk of infection?” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.