Sanyukta Baijal
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Written By: Sanyukta Baijal | Updated : April 17, 2020 9:06 AM IST
• Make sure your computer is switched off and unplugged when you start cleaning.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than 12,000 people in India so far. In order to stop the spread of the virus, the central government has extended the lockdown period till May 3 throughout the country. But not going out doesn't make you completely safe from the virus as it can hide inside your home too. Yes, according to a study published in New England Journal of Medicine, people may catch the novel coronavirus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. Some scientists have discovered that the virus can survive for up to three hours in aerosols, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces.
As your workstation at home may also have these objects, you're likely to catch the virus even when you're working from home. That is why it is necessary to regularly disinfect your workstation to reduce the risk of getting COVID-19 infection.
You may use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or bleach for cleaning your desk. The main ingredient in hand sanitizers which is said to kill SARS-CoV-2 is ethanol, the alcohol used in surgical spirit. But its concentration in the sanitizer is very important. The concentration of ethanol in the sanitizer should be above 70 %, otherwise it will not kill the virus effectively. As far as bleach is concerned, make sure you wear a pair of gloves and a protective eye gear while using it. Follow these steps while sanitizing your work-from-home station:
Your keyboard is normally made of plastic, and as mentioned above, the virus can live on such surface for 2-3 days. Therefore, it is very necessary to disinfect your keyboard regularly.
How to do it
Since mobile phone covers and jackets may have both plastic and stainless steel, the virus may lurk on it for several days. We usually carry our mobile phone wherever we go, this increases the risk of exposure to the virus, which may then transmit from hands to ears, face or mouth. Thus, sanitizing your phone becomes important. A leading tech brand suggests using a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox disinfecting wipes for disinfecting mobile phones. These products will kill the microbes and make the alcohol evaporate quickly from the surface of your phone. Avoid using other wipes as they may hinder your phone's functioning.
How to do it
It's good to keep yourself hydrated and keeping a bottle near you is a good habit. But if it is made up of plastic, steel or copper, you definitely need to disinfect it.
How to do it
Your pen holder or the items inside it may have been made from plastic and stainless steel, where the novel coronavirus can survive for the longest period. Things like pens, pencils, etc are often shared between people. This makes it even more important to clean your pen stand.
How to do it
After you are done cleaning the things which are kept on your desk, it is time for the final step which is cleaning your table. If your table is made up of copper, stainless steel or plastic, it is necessary to disinfect it. However, there is no data on the longevity of the virus on the wooden table. Still it is recommended to clean it to keep the germs at bay.
How to do it
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