Stay home, stay well: Clean all accessories

Along with clothes and hands, it is also necessary to disinfect accessories such as rings, bracelets, watches, mobile phones or even wallets.

Experts suggest washing hands with soap or using hand sanitiser to mitigate the risk of catching and spreading the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but people have to remove all accessories and sanitise those as well before washing hands.

Kaoser Alam, medical officer of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said, "During the days of shutdown, we stay inside our homes but some of us may have to go outside for groceries."

"So, we wear masks and wash hands properly, but we rarely care about our accessories. These are very important to take care of."

He said such accessories can also carry the highly contagious virus and spread it into the body.

Kaoser said that germs can be transferred from phone to the hand and it can also transfer into the ears while using it.

"Our eyes, ears, nose and mouth are very close to each other. So, the risk of transmission is high," he said.

Kaoser suggested wiping mobile phones with a cloth soaked in sanitiser or alcohol pads.

The physician warned that those who use spectacles should be more aware because people frequently touch their spectacles, which is close to the eyes, nose and ears.

"It [spectacles] should be disinfected frequently," he suggested.

Kaoser also suggested that belts, wallets, earrings, and bangles need to be sanitised in the same manner.