Coronavirus has been all over the news the last few weeks and seems to be intensifying in the last couple of days. Below you will find everything you need to know about this new virus and how to minimize the risk for you and your facility. The most important thing is not to panic. While this virus has captivated the news and has our country on edge, the reality is this virus is deadly but no more deadly than the annual influenza [flu] virus. Use common sense measure to minimize your exposure and risk. Most importantly wash your hands frequently. For more information about this virus read below.
What are coronaviruses?
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a family of enveloped viruses. These viruses are typical found in animals are not generally transmitted from animal to humans. However over the last 70 years there have been a few that have crossed over and were transmitted from animal to human. Some of the more well-known coronaviruses are Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012. The latest strain, known as 2019 Novel (meaning “new”) Coronavirus or 2019-nCov is the latest strain to have been known to be transmitted from animal to human. It also has recently been confirmed to have transmitted from human to human.
How are coronaviruses spread?
Coronaviruses are typically spread through the air via coughing or sneezing, via contact with an infected person or contaminated surfaces, and sometimes, but rarely fecal contamination. The spread of 2019-nCov is showing similar patterns as SARS and MERS.
What guidance does the CDC give on preventing the spread of coronavirus?
Hand Hygiene – Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. The most effective way to prevent the transmission of this virus is to properly wash your hands. This means scrubbing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not present, using a alcohol based sanitizer has been proven effective.
Environmental Cleaning – Proper cleaning and disinfecting of environmental surfaces as appropriate is fundamental in reducing the potential contribution to the spread of this virus. Make sure proper protocols are followed. This means make sure the surface is cleaned of all gross soil before applying disinfectants.
Which disinfectants kill Coronavirus?
The EPA has not established any efficacy protocols for surface disinfectants because 2019 Novel Coronavirus is so new. In plain english, the EPA has not certified any product to be rated effective against this virus because this virus was not available to be tested. That said, it is a Coronavirus based syndrome which is an enveloped virus and are considered to be easy to inactivate on non-porous surfaces. The scientific community believes, based on its knowledge of the structure of Coronaviruses, that when an EPA protocol is established the results will show that if your surface disinfectant is effective for other Coronaviruses, such as SARS or MERS, it will be effective against 2019 Novel Coronavirus.
Spruce Industries Products Eligible to be Used Against 2019-nCoV Based on the EPA’s Emerging Viral Pathogen Policy
The information in this post has been compiled from various sources: Clorox Profession 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Spartan 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the News and Misco Products Coronavirus What It Is & What You Can Do To Stay Health
