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To help protect yourself against coronavirus, keep your environment clean — including your phone

Experts say the virus can be killed by most household cleaners.
 
A fan wearing a protective mask takes a picture with her cell phone prior the Champions League, round of 16, first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A fan wearing a protective mask takes a picture with her cell phone prior the Champions League, round of 16, first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) [ MANU FERNANDEZ | AP ]
Published March 2, 2020|Updated March 3, 2020

The Kansas City Star (TNS)

You’re washing your hands with soap and water. Using hand sanitizer. Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Avoiding touching your face. Staying away from sick people.

But have you thought about your phone when trying to protect yourself against the coronavirus?

Among the most important things you can do to help slow the spread of pandemic illnesses in your community, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is keep your environment clean.

Wipe down door handles, counters, workstations, phones and other surfaces that are touched frequently, especially if someone gets sick.

Experts say the virus can be killed by most household cleaners and, for now, there’s no reason to go above and beyond routine cleaning, the CDC says.

“We think (the virus) can live on surfaces and be viable on surfaces for up to nine days,” said Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease physician with the University of Kansas Health System.

Apple recommends cleaning phone surfaces with a microfiber cloth slightly damp with soapy water. Popular Science suggests using face wipes or baby wipes, or a half-and-half solution of rubbing alcohol and water.

A more expensive option, according to Quartz, are UV lights. For about $60, they will kill most viruses’ bacteria on surfaces.