[turing_complete]

Opportunity cost. Keep in mind that those conditional probabilities multiply:

Surface has been contaminated * chance of transmission * chance of dying

All three are (for most people here) similarly small numbers. Do you want to spend your time doing something that can save you with probability < 1/(10^15)?

[HWR_14]

I don't know why "chance of dying" is there. Long-term damage is a possibility. Hell, even having a fever for 3 days is a real (but much lower than death) cost. I'm not worried about the fever, but I am worried about lung, brain or heart damage.

[baud147258]

I think the idea is that you're cleaning not just Covid-19, but also any other kind of contaminant

[1_player]

There is bacteria everywhere in your house, on your skin, inside of you, on every single surface on planet Earth.

The idea was to keep Covid out, any other contaminant you think you're getting rid of has already breached your security. In fact, bactericide usage will select for stronger and more resistant bacteria.

What you need is a clean room, otherwise it's a futile exercise.

[sokoloff]

People largely weren’t doing this 18 months ago and many started doing it around 12 months ago; what changed their mind?

[jjk166]

Common diseases like the flu were always unpleasant, but you especially don't want to get them during a pandemic. I'm sure a lot of us started sanitizing surfaces when it was believed that's how covid spread, but it's been really nice not getting sick for a year now and I for one will keep doing so long after the pandemic is over.

[quickthrowman]

Please provide evidence that sanitizing surfaces prevented you from getting sick.

[jjk166]

Spend a year licking dirty doorknobs. If you also don't get sick, I'll consider my hypothesis disproven.