Staying safe on the go amid the coronavirus pandemic

We're all being told to be careful when touching public surfaces but that is easier said than done, especially when you're traveling.

Research is still being done on this, but there is recent evidence that COVID-19 might stay on plastic surfaces for as long as three days. The thing to remember is simply touching a contaminated surface won't infect you it is then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes that can transfer the virus.

If your company hasn't yet instituted a work-from-home policy and you're having to take public transportation, change your commute time so you're not traveling during rush hour.

"That's one way to sort of limit the number of people that you're kind of in a car in the subway car in the bus with," said Catherine Roberts of Consumer Reports.

You'll have a better shot at social distancing which means staying at least 6 feet away from people whenever possible. Also try to keep tissues or paper towels on hand so you can avoid contact with doors and handrails and the most important thing:

"You can't say it enough hand hygiene is so critical. You know, washing your hands as soon as you get to work using hand sanitizer if you have it, you know, as soon as you step off the train or the bus," said Roberts.

Also clean your hands before touching your smartphone and do remember to sanitize your smartphone and other electronic devices.

Apple recommends you power down your device and use isopropyl alcohol wipes or Clorox Disinfecting wipes to gently clean hard, nonporous surfaces. But they also said you should avoid using bleach.

Google also tells Consumer Reports it is okay to use alcohol wipes on the company's devices without fear of damage.

And if you have a screen protector or a protective case, you can wash most of those with plain old soap and water which is a more effective method at eliminating germs compared to alcohol-based hand sanitizers.