Use decontamination chambers and spraying disinfectants on frequently touched surfaces only: SLCM

Commenting on the use of decontamination chambers and spraying of disinfectants in public spaces to minimize the spread of COVID-19 virus, Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists (SLCM) stressed that rather than spraying large quantities of disinfectants on streets and public areas, frequently touched surfaces should be wiped down with disinfectant solutions.

In a public statement published on its website, the medical body noted that decontamination chambers and widespread spraying may give a false sense of security and members of the public may pay less attention to hand hygiene, social distancing and cough etiquette /respiratory hygiene which are of paramount importance in our fight against COVID 19.
 
“The SLCM is of the view that disinfectants should be sprayed or applied only on surfaces that are highly or frequently touched by the public, such as hand railings, door knobs, poles on transit vehicles, elevator buttons, park/ street benches etc. It has been proven that the virus can survive from hours to days on these contaminated surfaces.

The SLCM also added that the action of these disinfectants on these outdoor surfaces is not yet evaluated since disinfectants may disintegrate or degrade with exposure to different environmental conditions such as sunlight. Therefore, rather than spraying large quantities of disinfectants on streets and public areas, we suggest that frequently touched surfaces should be wiped down with disinfectant solutions.

“However, spraying of disinfectants in large quantities into the environment can cause environmental pollution, wastage of chemicals, harmful effects on humans as described above and harmful effects on animals and fish. Further, the action of these disinfectants on these outdoor surfaces is not yet evaluated since disinfectants may disintegrate or degrade with exposure to different environmental conditions such as sunlight.,”

“The main mode of transmission of COVID-19 is by contaminated hands touching the face (eyes, nose, mouth ). Therefore, what needs to be done is to sanitize hands rather than try to sanitize the whole body in order to prevent transmission of this virus. Action of alcohol and other chemical disinfectants in these chambers is unlikely to achieve this function. Further, there is a significant fire hazard and there is wastage of alcohol and other disinfectants in large quantities when used inside these chambers, when they can be put to much better use in preparing hand sanitizers and for environmental disinfection in healthcare and other high risk environments.”

In addition, these chemical disinfectants can have various adverse effects on humans. In particular, spraying of chlorine on individuals can lead to irritation of eyes and skin, bronchospasm due to inhalation, and potential gastrointestinal effects such as nausea and vomiting. Inhaled ozone can damage the lungs, may worsen chronic respiratory diseases like asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections. Excessive exposure to UV light may put a user at risk of eye injury, skin burns or even an increased risk of skin cancer. To date, the FDA has not authorized any products using ozone gas or ultraviolet (UV) light even to clean, disinfect or sanitize inanimate objects.