Bloomberg Businessweek March 16, 2020

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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