Bloomberg Businessweek USA 03.16.2020_

(Darren Dugan) #1
Bloomberg Businessweek March 16, 2020

43

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GUS POWELL FOR BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK (8)

How will th


▲ People are changing their behavior fast to contend
with the new coronavirus threat. Those who must still
take transit, for example, wonder if avoiding surfaces on
trains and buses will help them stay healthy. A survey of
about 11,000 people in 11 countries conducted in early
February by Britain’s Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, which
makes cleaning products under its Lysol brand, found
that 44% are avoiding crowds and 29% are staying off
public transit. Campaigns from public-health agencies
seem to be resonating: 54% said they’re washing their
hands more often, and 32% are trying not to touch their
eyes, nose, and mouth. Whether any of the lessons on
cleanliness will lead to lasting behavioral changes is
perhaps a question for later. �Deirdre Hipwell
Free download pdf