New guidelines on disinfection of quarantine facilities

 The National Centre for Disease Control has issued a series of guidelines to carry out disinfection in the quarantine facilities where people who have contracted the deadly coronavirus are housed.

"Due to the potential survival of the virus in the environment for several days, areas potentially contaminated should be cleaned before their re-use, using products containing anti-microbial agents. Tests carried out using SARS-CoV showed that sodium hypochlorite is effective," stated the organisation, which comes under the health ministry.

It added that cleaning with water and household detergents and use of common disinfectant products is sufficient for general precautionary cleaning.

According to the guidelines, all clinical areas, including isolation rooms and laboratories should be cleaned with one per cent sodium hypochlorite solution.

Besides that, doors and its knobs in the clinical areas should be washed with a brush, using detergent and warm water once a week as such surfaces are touched frequently.

Stethoscopes should also be cleaned with alcohol-based spirit swabs before examining each patient.

Similarly, guidelines stated that the lodging area, including furniture, railing, telephone, desks, curtain, should also be disinfected thoroughly with warm water and detergent solution.

The organisation advised toilet areas to be cleaned with sodium hypochlorite solution, nylon scrubber soap powder and warm water to get rid of the infected. IANS