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Washing hands, yes. Disinfecting everything, not so much. That's the latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when it comes to the prevention of spreading coronavirus.
Last year, the CDC wrote by using disinfectants we can further lower the risk of spreading COVID-19. The government medical agency listed bleach mixed with water as a make it yourself disinfectant. Now, it's guidance on that has changed. For one thing, the CDC says disinfecting surfaces is usually not necessary unless someone who's sick has been in the home within 24 hours.
It's also telling people to be more careful with disinfectants. Last year more calls related to these chemicals were made to poison control centers than there were in 2019 and 2018. The organization says bleach is toxic. It reminds people never to mix it with ammonia and it says it should never be used on food.
It also says household cleaners need to be kept off our skin and out of our bodies. Officials say the risk of catching coronavirus off the surfaces we touch is a low especially if surfaces are outside. The main way the disease spreads is when you're nearby someone who has it, particularly if they're spreading droplets by coughing or sneezing. Should we stop cleaning surfaces all together? No.
Research shows that in a household where someone has COVID-19, transmission rates are lower when common surfaces are regularly cleaned. The CDC says doing that with soap or detergent is good enough and that doorknobs and light switches are good spots to focus on. What about alternative cleaning methods like LED blue lights and ultrasonic waves?
Officials say they don't know yet how effective these methods are. We've talked about how some U.S. colleges are considering COVID vaccine requirements for students though they can apply for exemptions for religious or medical reasons. Experts say it's not clear if universities can legally require the shot and some like Harvard strongly recommend it but don't require it.
