Commentary
With news media reporting a resurgence of Covid-19 infections this fall, it is time to revisit contact time. Best practices say to remove dirt then disinfect. But if the disinfectant used does not remain wet for the duration of its contact time, we are essentially just cleaning.
Considerations in your community
Conversations this week with the head nurse of a clinic, a local pharmacist and a public school teacher demonstrated a lack of understanding of the 5- to 10-minute contact times for many disinfectants as referenced in the Virox video below. Not one recognized this time requirement. The teacher’s response was, “Ha!! Five to 10 minutes? Yeah right! I get 30 seconds MAXIMUM on all of my surfaces because, h-e-l -l-o! The time allowed for changing classrooms is three minutes. Oh, my goodness!”
Animal health professionals are a primary source for public health education. While we normally focus on clients’ critters, it is time to stretch our influence. PLEASE! Whether influenza, measles, salmonella sp. or coronavirus, the public’s failure to understand the importance of contact time when counting on disinfectants will diminish infection prevention and control efforts.
Most business leaders, school administrators and our colleagues in human health all need to become better informed about proper disinfection. Use local media, social media, local service organizations, parent groups and others to get the word out. Here are resources you can use to support your assertions.
Source: EPA. Link.
- List N advanced search. Link. AHD downloaded List N to Excel for your review. Link to List of Disinfectants
- Guidance for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools and homes. Link.
- Cleaning and disinfectant decision tool. Link.
Source: Virox® Animal Health*. Link. Resources for how to use Rescue®.
NOTE this contact time video. It’s run time is shorter than most disinfectants require to be effective! Scan down the page of resources to find the image below and view the video.
INSIGHTS: A primary objective for providing Animal Health Digest the last five years is to deliver actionable published information for animal health pros to use and share in the context of how they perform their jobs. In this post we have taken an assertive position and ask EVERY animal health pro to make disinfection part of all interactions with customers, colleagues, family members and within our communities.
We can’t fear taking a stand regardless of the disease agent or fomite sources.” Kirk Augustine, AHD founder and president
*Thank you to Virox® Animal Health for taking a leadership position dedicated to infection control education and for maintaining a supply of product during this pandemic.