Tech & COVID-19
One of the biggest things on everyone’s minds right now should of course be: how do I stay safe during the COVID-19 outbreak? Of course, the easiest solution is to follow the quarantine order and stay inside, where the chances of getting infected are far lower. But if you have to go out and brave the infection, there are definitely some tips and tricks you can keep in mind to keep yourself extra safe. And this goes for your technology as well.
The CDC recommends that you clean and disinfect any surfaces or items used by someone who is sick, or might be sick. This is because one of the major causes for spreading the coronavirus is people who are asymptomatic, or have the virus but show no symptoms of having it. This is especially dangerous in small, enclosed areas like homes or vehicles, where a cough or a sneeze can spread the virus to everyone nearby, and no one will even know until after the first person shows symptoms. So what can you do?
The easiest solution is to establish a thorough cleaning regime for your entire house; or at least, the areas frequented by the most people most often. Following CDC guidelines, any household disinfectant product will be sufficient to clean surfaces and items. Products such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes could serve this purpose. You can also make a diluted bleach solution that will disinfect those surfaces as well, but make sure the surface is able to take bleach without being damaged.
As far as technology goes, you could, in the case of phones or portable game systems, consider adding a wipeable cover to the device, such as a screen protector. These will allow you to clean the most touched surface of the device with less chance of causing damage to the device with the cleaning product. If you use a case on your phone, even better – wipe it down thoroughly with whatever disinfectant product you choose to use, as long as it won’t cause damage. Computers are a little different, though. The screen, for instance, will need different methods of cleaning based on the kind of screen it is. Is the screen glass? Feel free to use your favorite disinfecting wipes – they’ll work just fine and won’t harm the screen. Is it an LCD screen? In this case, the recommended method of cleaning the screen is using a micro fiber cloth. They’re actually pretty good at getting up germs and nastiness left over. Do not, however, use a disinfecting wipe or soap and water on your LCD monitor. These can leave behind residue, wipe marks, or at worst damage the screen itself. When in doubt, refer to the manufacturer’s recommendation in the information booklet that came with your computer.
As far as computer peripherals go, such as keyboard, mouse, webcam, microphone, hard drives, etc., the method for disinfection will vary based on several factors. Are you using a laptop, where the keyboard is attached to the computer itself? In that case, while you can use disinfecting wipes, it might be better to use a micro fiber cloth as well. But, as long as you’re careful, using a disinfecting wipe shouldn’t cause any harm. The same goes for mice, flash drives, web cams, etc. So long as you’re careful while cleaning these devices, there shouldn’t be any issue. And when in doubt, check the documentation that came with the device, or look online, to check to make sure what you want to clean it with is safe for use. Especially with expensive computers.
Besides how to clean your devices, there are some other great tips you can use to keep yourself safe. Don’t let others use your devices, especially if you think they might be sick. If you have to, sanitize the devices after they’re used, so that you mitigate your chances of picking up sickness. Try not to spend too much time in enclosed spaces with people you think might be sick. If you think you might have come into contact with something someone who is sick has come into contact with, make sure to clean it and your hands thoroughly and quickly.
All very basic tips, but very useful to try and prevent the spread of this virus and keep everyone safe. Another thing you can keep in mind is that, if it’s been more than 7 days since a sick person visited or used a facility or item, there is likely no need to disinfect the area or item. When interacting with anyone or anything not inside your own home, remember to keep yourself safe, so that you can help keep others safe. Disinfect early, and disinfect often. Stay safe out there.
Find more information here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html