COVID-19 and Virus Disinfection in Atlanta, GA

Alcohol-based sanitizer can reduce germs from your hands if you cannot access soap and water. Use a product with at least 60 percent alcohol and rub all hand surfaces until dry. Use hand sanitizer only on hands, never to disinfect furniture, rooms or electronic devices. Wash with soap and water when hands are visibly dirty.

Look for an EPA-registered disinfectant with a label permitting use for the virus in question or directing emerging viral pathogen use. The label matters more than a product's scent or strength. The label specifies usable surfaces, dilution, how to apply the product, required protective equipment and the contact time needed for proper performance.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is a biological agent, and work around known illness calls for exposure precautions. The exact cleanup category depends on the setting and whether blood, bodily fluids or regulated waste are also present. Blood cleanup and hazardous waste removal are different tasks from routine disinfection of surfaces.

A targeted residential area might be completed during a single visit. Cleaning a big commercial property, school or workplace may last longer or be split into stages. Timing depends on room count, furnishings, sensitive surfaces, product contact times and access. Have the scope list the areas being treated and all guidance about reentering them.

You should not assume automatic coverage. Depending on its terms, a policy may treat routine or preventive disinfection as maintenance and another event differently. Call your insurance company, explain why the work is needed and ask about exclusions, the deductible and required records. Keep the scope, product list, photos and invoice for the claim check.

First address areas occupied by the sick person and their touch points. Keep people out while you clean visible dirt and disinfect suitable hard surfaces as directed by the product label. Wash suitable fabrics according to their care directions. A visit from professionals may help when a shared area is large, materials are sensitive or a documented scope is needed for each room.

Because viruses are capable of causing disease, they can qualify as biological hazards. The virus involved, task, setting and way exposure occurs all affect the risk level. Match the approach to disinfection with the hazard present. Protective equipment, access control, cleaning and an appropriate disinfectant all have roles, but no single step replaces the others.

Remove visible dirt before using an EPA-registered disinfectant appropriate for both the target virus and surface. Apply full coverage and let the surface remain wet throughout the label's contact period. Follow label requirements for protective equipment and ventilation, and keep every cleaning chemical separate from the others.

With an appropriate concentration, surface and wet contact period, alcohol can inactivate the virus responsible for COVID-19 infection. For a hard surface, select an EPA-registered product or the maker's recommended alternative and obey the product label. Avoid spraying alcohol by any heat source or flame, and allow more than a quick wipe when sufficient contact time is required.

Read the disinfectant label and furniture care instructions after checking if the wooden surface is sealed. A compatible product may be used on sealed wood after spot testing. Do not soak delicate or bare wood, which can swell, stain or suffer finish loss. Use a method suited to the material when the label does not permit the surface.