WARNING! Using your phone at dinner table can cause more harm than you think; experts reveal why
By Shweta Kumari | First Published Dec 3, 2024, 7:30 AM ISTFor many social media-obsessed people, the phone eats first. Experts have issued an urgent warning about using your phone at the dinner table, citing health hazards.
For many social media-obsessed people, the phone eats first. Experts have issued an urgent warning about using your phone at the dinner table, citing health hazards.
Dr. Gareth Nye, a senior lecturer in physiology at the University of Chester, has issued an alarming caution; your smartphone may harbor a variety of harmful bacteria, posing serious risks to your health and your holiday feast.
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These bacteria, often picked up from everyday use, can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as food poisoning, vomiting, and diarrhea. "However, in people with compromised immune systems, it can cause very nasty infections like sepsis or pneumonia," Dr. Nye explained.
Dr. Nye revealed to Compare & Recycle that the type of bacteria found on your smartphone largely depends on your occupation and daily habits. Healthcare workers, for instance, often carry bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii—pathogens that can trigger severe respiratory or skin infections.
Even non-healthcare workers aren’t exempt, as Gram-positive spore bacteria, notorious for causing food poisoning, often linger on phone surfaces. "Almost all phone surfaces will carry the common dangerous bacteria E. coli and faecal streptococci," Dr. Nye added.
The culprit? Our hands. On average, people touch approximately 150 different objects daily, making our hands prime vehicles for transferring bacteria to phone screens. Disturbingly, trips to the restroom amplify this risk. "[Bacteria] naturally find their way to our hands during trips to the toilet, then to our phones, which will continue a passage of transfer until both surfaces are clean," he explained.
To prevent bacteria from invading your Christmas dinner, Dr. Nye advises keeping your phone far from the dining table. For those who can’t part with their devices, experts at Compare & Recycle offer practical cleaning tips:
- Unplug your phone to protect the ports before cleaning.
- Remove the phone case, wash it with hot, soapy water, and let it dry completely. Use a specialized cleaner for leather or PU leather cases.
- Dust the exterior with a lint-free cloth, and use a wooden toothpick to clear debris from ports.
- Disinfect your phone using a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe or a lightly dampened cloth. Focus on buttons and speaker holes while avoiding spraying liquid directly onto the device.
Additionally, maintaining regular hand hygiene and sanitizing your phone daily can significantly reduce infection risks. "Good hand hygiene plus daily sanitization of your phone should be enough to prevent most infections," Dr. Nye assured.
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