Reasons to Steer Clear of Antimicrobial Phone Cases and Alternatives to Consider

Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology studied the efficacy of silver-coated antimicrobial screen protectors in an environment where the microbial load is expected to be greater than in other locations: the hospital. Researchers from Duke University enlisted 26 physicians to evaluate if the antimicrobial screen covers would hinder the contamination of handsets and lessen the recontamination of hands. The study indicated that the silver-embedded screen protector had a certain impact on decreasing bacterial load by day seven, in comparison to day one, but that effect faded by day 30. The microbiome present on the display after 30 days resembled that of the experiment’s commencement, suggesting that antimicrobial display covers probably aren’t a viable option for curtailing the transmission of pathogens.