Prevent the Spread of "Touchscreen" Flu
Germs have a new breeding ground: touchscreen devices. iPhones, iPads, Evos and Droids present new vectors for the spread of germs and bacteria. Mobile phones have 18 times the amount of germs found on a toilet lever in a public mens restroom, "Which? Magazine" investigators reported earlier this year.
The larger glass surfaces found on so many popular devices only exacerbate the problem.
When viruses are applied on a glass surface, about 30 percent of it will get on your fingertips and a fair amount of that may be easily transferred to eyes, mouth or nose, the most likely routes of infection, according to a study published by the Journal of Applied Microbiology co-authored by Timothy Julian, a Stanford doctoral student.
While hand sanitizer helps, a new device launched by Violight attacks the problem from the other end. Violight's battery operated sanitizer uses ultraviolet light to kill germs on cell phones, music players and accessories. The company claims up to 99 percent of surface germs and bacteria are eliminated after a five minute treatment including strep, e.coli, salmonella, listeria and the H1N1 virus.
Ultraviolet light is used to kill bacteria and viruses in sewage treatment plants and hospital clean rooms. While not visible to the human eye, UV light is absorbed by a cell's DNA and essentially neuters micro-organism, after which they quickly die.
Devices are placed in a cylinder that contains two ultraviolet light bulbs. Exposure for less than five minutes is enough to eliminate germs. A small basket included with the sanitizer can be used for smaller items such as earbuds, Bluetooth earpieces and iPod Shuffles.
While opinions differ on the extent of virus transfer from handheld devices, most germaphobes would agree it's better to be safe than sorry.
Violight UV Cell Phone Sanitizer $50
