Friday, 29 March, 2024
HomeCoronavirusWHO Guide: Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in the context of...

WHO Guide: Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in the context of COVID-19

The key challenge faced by all countries is slowing the rate of transmission of the virus to mitigate the overwhelming of health services. In the absence of vaccines or other therapeutics, the only armament available to us to do so are simple, evidence-based non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). These include hand hygiene, social distancing and universal masking.

Shaheen Mehtar, emeritus professor at Stellenbosch University and a founder member and current chair of the Infection Control Africa Network (ICAN), Shabir A Madhi, professor of vaccinology and director of the MRC Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, and Marc Mendelson, professor of infectious diseases, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town write in Daily Maverick that unfortunately, this is being superseded by fear, stigma and the introduction of practices, which do not have significant effects on preventing virus transmission and may be harmful to the public.

One such, they write, is the use of disinfection tunnels.

The concept of spraying chemicals arose from vector control programmes, which use extensive spraying of waterways and homes to kill mosquitoes and other vectors during outbreaks of malaria, Zika, yellow fever and Dengue. While mosquitoes were effectively controlled, widespread spraying was stopped because of its detrimental effect on human health and the environment.

They write, fast forward to 2014 and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Led by fear and panic, chlorine spraying of the population, including healthcare workers (HCWs), was widely introduced in affected countries while in others, including South Africa, spraying was part of the country’s infection prevention containment strategy, should Ebola be introduced into the country.

A disinfection tunnel is a means of spraying the public as it walks through a cubicle or tunnel with a chemical mist of variable composition, aimed at “disinfecting all exposed areas including hands”. It appears that the chemical used, its concentration and side effects are kept a secret.

The authors write that having communicated with a number of companies who are marketing and selling these in South Africa, “we have yet to get a straight answer regarding what basis they market these products on and what evidence exists on its effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 infection.”

The authors write in Daily Maverick that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has very recently published its guidance on environmental disinfection and has condemned all outdoor environmental spraying and human spraying in the strongest possible terms. The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has not only condemned the practice, but has provided a comprehensive table with side effects of known products used in tunnel sprays for humans. How then, can citizens of this country be exposed to being sprayed with chemicals without either evaluating the consequences or asking for expert advice on the effect of spraying such chemicals on humans?

The authors write that the most worrying of all, “we have now received reports of a number of South African private schools who are wanting to introduce such tunnels for learners returning to school. One was planning to use quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), which are high on the WHO’s list of dangerous substances. We have, indeed, gone from the sublime to the ridiculous and without reservation condemn the adoption of such potentially harmful practices.”

 

[link url="https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-05-28-disinfection-tunnels-for-covid-19-have-negligible-benefit-and-are-potentially-dangerous/"]Full Daily Maverick report[/link]

 

[link url="https://www.who.int/publications-detail/cleaning-and-disinfection-of-environmental-surfaces-inthe-context-of-covid-19"]WHO guidance[/link]

MedicalBrief — our free weekly e-newsletter

We'd appreciate as much information as possible, however only an email address is required.