Covid-19 and mobile phone hygiene in healthcare settings

[...]inanimate objects play a significant role in their transmission. Apart from social media use, health professionals use mobile phones to follow health-related news; communicate with one another; look up updated guidelines, drug interactions, adverse events and health research; for photography, sharing medical documents, conducting teleconsultations and patient tracking; all resulting in extensive use of mobile phones.10 The self-reported use of mobile phones among health workers ranges from once in every 15 min to once in 2 hours.11 Mobile phones are one of the most highly touched surfaces according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables.12 During the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, hand hygiene has been recommended as a mainstay of infection control by all prominent health societies, including WHO.13 Hand washing not only reduces the individual risk of transmission but also interrupts the community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes covid-19. [...]in doing so, the use of bleach or entry of moisture through any of the openings must be avoided, and any harsh chemical may damage the oleophobic screen, leading to damage in the touch screen sensitivity of the phone.21 22 Mobile phone hygiene: the way forward We recommend mobile phone use restrictions in healthcare institutions especially in hospital wards, operating theatres and intensive care units. Organisational research should be promoted through identification of bacterial or viral flora on mobile phones, and appropriate use of disinfectants according to the culture and sensitivity pattern should be included in hospital infection control measures.