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Coronavirus: EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to be used against COVID-19

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand sanitizers are not effective against the virus, except those with more than 60% alcohol
UPDATED MAR 19, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Amid the rising threats from coronavirus in the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a list of disinfectants that could help Americans minimize the risk of infections.

Making it to the EPA's list of approved disinfectants, these products are from brands such as Clorox and Lysol, along with Purell Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes and Sani-Prime Germicidal Spray. You can find the list here. “Using the correct disinfectant is an important part of preventing and reducing the spread of illnesses along with other critical aspects such as hand washing,” the EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, said in a statement.

“There is no higher priority for the Trump Administration than protecting the health and safety of Americans. EPA is providing this important information in a public and transparent manner on disinfectant products to help reduce the spread of COVID-19,” he added.

The new coronavirus and its close relatives -- SARS and MERS virus -- may be able to survive on inanimate objects for up to nine days. This suggests that people could contract the infection by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then inadvertently rubbing their hands on their faces. 

people could contract the infection by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then inadvertently rubbing their hands on their faces (Getty Images)

More than 200 Americans have COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Thus, people are looking at tools to reduce their risk and preliminary evidence suggests that disinfectants could be one such tool. 

A review found that disinfectants such as those based on ethanol, hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite could be effective against coronaviruses. 

Disinfectant manufacturers claim that their products are capable of killing 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including human coronavirus. The coronavirus that emerged in China is new. Experts do not know whether disinfectants are effective against the new coronavirus. But the EPA's list provides answers. "Products appearing on EPA’s list registered disinfectant products have qualified for use against COVID-19 through the agency’s Emerging Viral Pathogen program," read the statement.

To put out this list, the agency collected information from manufacturers. The approved products are effective against harder-to-kill viruses than the new coronavirus, according to the EPA. The agency added that people need to pay attention to the directions mentioned on the product labels, particularly on the amount of time the disinfectant needs to stay on the surface to be effective.

Other ways to stay safe include frequent washing of hands. Hand sanitizers are not effective against the virus, except those with more than 60% alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

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