27 January 2023 Friday
How should the disinfection of daily use area and tools be against COVID-19?
Istanbul Gelisim University Laboratory Technology Department Lecturer Gamze Bostan said, “There are various types and forms of disinfectants, which are one of our biggest weapons to protect ourselves from the Covid-19 virus. The correct use of disinfectants, which have become a necessity in our homes, bags and daily life, is important in this respect. Unconscious and wrong disinfectant use can do more harm than good.
In health institutions, cleaning and disinfection practices are carried out without interruption and under control in a routine manner. Disinfection and antisepsis applications have also become indispensable in our daily lives in this 1 year when we are struggling with the new coronavirus disease. Disinfection of areas such as homes, workplaces, gyms, government buildings, markets, transportation vehicles is important to reduce the potential for COVID-19 virus contamination. Here, disinfection of the most frequently touched / touched surfaces such as door and window handles, toilets, food preparation areas, touch screen surfaces, keyboards should be a priority.
So, are we doing disinfection applications correctly?
For example, spray-gas applications are not recommended in large outdoor areas such as streets, pavements or markets. Besides the potential to cause eye, respiratory or skin irritation in surrounding people, the application will also be ineffective. Very tiny disinfectant particles sprayed into the air are very unlikely to catch a possible virus particle in the air. In places such as pavements, the accumulated dirt layer on the ground acts as a shield for bacteria and viruses, prevents the disinfectant from reaching microorganisms, and at the same time, some disinfectants become inactive when they encounter organic dirt. Even in the absence of dirt and debris, chemical sprays are unlikely to completely cover the surface enough to capture contact time to inactivate pathogens.
As for more personal areas, disinfection with spray is not recommended indoors/surfaces. If a disinfection application is to be made, it is recommended to do it with a cloth or wipes completely moistened with disinfectant. In order to properly disinfect the surfaces, the surface must be cleaned first. Disinfection processes can be applied more effectively because our daily usage areas contain much less dirt than the pollution on the street and can be cleaned for sure. The most important point to be considered here is the cleanliness of the surface. The surface must first be cleaned with a soap/detergent and water. Cleaning should always be from the clean (less dirty) area to the more contaminated area so that the dirt does not disperse. Cleaning is much more important if an alcohol-based antiseptic or disinfectant is used because alcohols have the ability to adhere (fix) substances to the surface. When used in a dirty area, the possibility of sticking the dirt and the microorganisms that may be in it to the surface is very high.
Another important point is the choice of disinfectant. Although not every disinfectant is suitable for every surface, there is a possibility of creating an opposite effect from the desired effect. For example, sodium hypochlorite (bleach) can be used on floor surfaces at recommended concentrations (0.1%, 1 part normal bleach to 49 parts water). Alcohol solutions of 70-90% can also be used on surfaces. Another mistake made here is the thought that the effect will increase as the concentration increases. The effect does not increase in parallel with the concentration of each chemical. In particular, the effects of alcohols decrease as they increase from their optimum concentrations (eg, 70% opt. for ethyl alcohol). The contact time of the disinfectant is another important factor. Disinfectants have their own contact times and are usually written on the outer labels of the containers they are in.
Chemicals used as disinfectants should never be mixed unconsciously, and the environments used should be ventilated. Disposable/possible items should be thrown away, those that cannot be thrown away should be cleaned thoroughly and hands should be washed after the procedures. Foodstuffs should never be contaminated with disinfectants. Normal cleaning routine will suffice for these products, as contamination with market products or open food products is not very likely.
So, is every disinfectant effective against the Covid-19 disease virus?
Since coronaviruses are enveloped in nature, they are easy to eliminate. Most of the disinfectants to be used with optimum concentration and contact time will be effective.
