Center for Biocide Chemistries Answers Your Questions About COVID-19
The World Health Organization has formally declared
the COVID-19 outbreak a “pandemic.” With more than 100,000 reported cases
of coronavirus worldwide, and over 4,200 deaths, many are looking for answers
on how best to protect themselves and their families.
The Center for Biocide Chemistries (CBC) recently published a list of over 200 ready-to-use, dilutable, and wipeable biocidal products that are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as effective at killing viruses like COVID-19. Antimicrobial products on CBC’s List of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fighting Products have been tested to stop the spread of pathogens from hard surfaces and have received EPA’s approval that the products are not expected to cause unreasonable adverse effects when used in accordance with their labels. The public and public health officials should feel confident that the products included on CBC’s list are available to help protect people from the spread of the novel coronavirus.
To help improve understanding of these products and steps people
can take to make sure their homes and offices are protected, we sat down with
Komal K. Jain, Executive Director of the CBC, to answer some of the frequently
asked questions about COVID-19:
What type of virus is COVID-19?
Viruses can be generally categorized in three groups by virus structure. 1 This affects the effectiveness of disinfectants in killing the viruses.
- Enveloped viruses
are easiest to kill. (An example is Influenza A Virus.) - Large,
non-enveloped viruses are more difficult to kill. (An example is Rotavirus.) - Small, non-enveloped
viruses are hardest to kill. (Examples are Rhinovirus and Norovirus.)
Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses,
meaning they are one of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the
appropriate disinfectant product.
What should you look for in a cleaning product if you’re aiming to prevent the spread of coronavirus?
If you are aiming to help stop the spread of COVID-19, a list of products presumed by EPA to be effective is available from the Center for Biocide Chemistries’ (CBC) List of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)-Fighting Products. These products contain antimicrobials that kill many disease-causing viruses and other microbes. They have been tested against hundreds of pathogens, such as norovirus and MERS, and based on those results, EPA expects them to be effective against the virus that causes COVID-19. Each of these products on the list have been tested to stop the spread of pathogens from hard surfaces and the manufacturer states that it is compliant with EPA’s “emerging viral pathogen” guidance for antimicrobial products.
How should a person use a listed product?
The instructions for use on the product label should be followed. If there are, use directions for enveloped viruses, follow those directions. EPA recommends that if the directions for use for viruses/virucidal activity list different contact times or dilutions, use the longest contact time or most concentrated solution [See https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2].
How can a company claim that a specific product should be used effectively during the COVID-19 outbreak?
During an outbreak of a new virus like COVID-19, no products exist on the market that can make claims to kill the virus. This is due to the simple fact that the virus was not available to test, and it can take more than one year to get a viral claim approved by a regulatory agency. For this reason, the U.S. enacted a ‘hierarchy-based’ policy. This means that if a company’s product has been found to be effective against harder to kill viruses, it is likely to kill a virus like COVID-19.
How do I know that a US company’s claim is legitimate?
Any company marketing hard-surface disinfectant products in the U.S. for use during the COVID-19 outbreak MUST have an EPA-approved Emerging Pathogen Claim. This claim cannot be found on the commercial label as it is only triggered during an outbreak. However it can be found on the master label on EPA’s website.
What requirements are necessary in order to have my companies product listed on the CBC Coronavirus-Fighting Products List?
Per the EPA’s Emerging Viral Pathogen Guidance for Antimicrobial Pesticides, the following criteria determine if an EPA-registered disinfectant product is eligible to make a claim against COVID-19:
- The product is an EPA-registered, hospital/healthcare or broad-spectrum disinfectant with directions for use on hard, porous or non-porous surfaces.
- The currently accepted product label (from an EPA registered product as described above) should have disinfectant efficacy claims against the following viral pathogen groupings: one large or one small non-enveloped virus.
CBC has not listed any product without first reviewing the product’s Master Label, which indicates EPA’s prior approval of the emerging pathogens qualification. A Master Label must be provided to the CBC in order for the product to be included on the CBC Coronavirus-Fighting Products List.
The CBC cannot independently evaluate
the effectiveness of any product.
Manufacturers, registrants and subregistrants of products can approach
us for listing if they are able to provide us with an EPA-approved Master
Label.
What are steps that an average American can take to make sure their homes/offices are disinfected, sanitized, etc., to protect from COVID-19?
Antimicrobials, also known as biocides, prevent the growth and spread of unwanted microbes. We rely on a class of antimicrobial products known as disinfectants to kill many disease-causing viruses, like COVID-19.
First, it is critical that people understand the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing – there are distinct differences. 2 “Cleaning” removes dirt and impurities from surfaces or objects but it does not kill gems. “Sanitizing” lowers the number of germs on a surface or object by reducing the germs to levels considered safe by public health standards or requirements. “Disinfecting” kills germs by using antimicrobials directly on surfaces and objects.
Additional tips for keeping healthy include:
- Use antimicrobials on highly-touched surfaces in your home. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19. CDC recommends a thorough disinfection of sinks, toilets, doorknobs, and other hard surfaces that people frequently touch. Also, keep in mind that germs and bacteria can hide in many places. Use a disinfectant on your countertops, sinks, cabinets, and appliance surfaces, and all handles or drawer pulls. And finally, everyone should wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
- Use antimicrobials on highly-touched surfaces in your office. No one wants to make a coworker ill, so use of antimicrobial products will disinfect equipment like computer keyboards, staplers, and desks.
- Use antimicrobials in highly-populated areas. Use antimicrobials to disinfect armrests, seats, and other places while traveling on airplanes, trains and automobiles. Trapped in close quarters with strangers is one of the fastest ways to spread viruses or bacterial infections.
You can also visit www.GoodChemistryLivesHere.com for more information about antimicrobials, and their uses.
For more answers to frequently asked questions regarding CBC’s list of COVID-19 fighting products, click here.
1 E.H. Spaulding Chemical disinfection and antisepsis in the hospital; J Hosp Res, 9 (1957), pp. 5-31.
2 See e.g., https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm.
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