Why the CDC says the pandemic disinfection craze may be exaggerated

As the coronavirus pandemic began, disinfectants flew off shelves after preliminary studies suggested the virus could survive on surfaces for days.

However, the CDC notes that these experiments "do not necessarily reflect real-world conditions" or "explain inefficiencies in the transmission of the virus between surfaces and hands, and from hands to mouth, nose and eyes."

Researchers in several of these early studies found fragments of the virus called viral RNA on surfaces, says Emanuel Goldman, a microbiologist at Rutgers New Jersey School of Medicine, who wrote a comment in The Lancet last July that the surfaces were found pose little risk.

While the viral RNA can indicate the presence of the virus, it is actually "the corpse of the virus that is left when the virus dies," says Goldman. "Viral RNA cannot infect you."

Goldman is only aware of one study in which the virus was found live on a surface in a package of frozen cod at a shipping dock in China. But even in that study, he says, the virus was no longer present when the product got in supermarkets.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is very sensitive, Goldman explains, and it breaks down quickly on surfaces when exposed to light or when the environment is room temperature or higher.

Cleaning guidelines for public buildings

The revised CDC cleaning guidelines come as more Americans are vaccinated and more schools, businesses, and public buildings are open to the public. Many have spent millions of dollars on high-tech cleaning solutions and put in place strict disinfection protocols to keep the public at ease.

It's "hygiene theater," says Goldman, adopting a phrase coined in the Atlantic last year. "It's a virus that spreads by breathing. You don't get it by touching it. ""

In its new cleaning guidelines for public spaces and businesses, the CDC says that daily cleaning with soap or detergent "is generally sufficient to adequately remove viruses found on surfaces and help maintain a healthy facility". Always don't let anyone confirm this. or COVID-19 was known to have been in space.

Businesses and public buildings may want to clean or disinfect more frequently if the community has high levels of COVID-19 transmission, so few people wear masks and wash their hands, or if the building is used by people at increased risk of COVID - 19, says the CDC.

The agency recommends avoiding misting, fumigation, and electrostatic spraying as these methods can pose safety risks.

Airflow and ventilation are more important

Cautious consumers or those who have not yet been vaccinated and are concerned about COVID-19 should be more careful with a building's air and ventilation systems than its cleaning schedule, Goldman says.

According to Richterman, consumers may still want to use a disinfectant wipe on badly affected public surfaces such as the handle of a shopping cart or the tray and seat of an airplane. He points out that other viruses, including stomach problems, are known to be spread this way.

"For any very tactile surface, [using a disinfectant wipe] is a reasonable thing, especially if you have a medical vulnerability," says Richterman.

However, if you're concerned about COVID-19, don't worry too much about surfaces, he advises. Instead, you should "think about the interiors and how close people are to your home". Outside of this context, there really isn't a lot of streaming. ""

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