CLEANING FOR HEALTH
and the
COVID-19 PANDEMIC

It is April of 2020 and we would be remiss not to produce an article on the importance of cleaning for health, especially in regard to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. There has been so much information, as well as misinformation about this virus, from so many sources, it has been difficult for many of us to feel comfortable with how we should respond.

The worldwide data, as alarming as it has become, is still insufficient. The scary part of this coronavirus is how it is spread. Many can have the disease and spread it and have no symptoms. We have watched the rise of confirmed cases in almost every area of the globe and in all 50 states. The statistics are astounding, with countries seeing an exponential daily increase of cases. In Italy, the US, UK, and Iran alone, the average daily increase of new cases was 30% or more during March.

WHAT IS THE COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS?

According to the McGill Office for Science and Society, “We are dealing with viruses. Whether viruses are alive or not is a long-standing philosophical question, but the bottom line is that these infectious particles cannot replicate on their own. They attach to our cells, enter, and release their genetic blueprint. The 'construction workers' inside our own cells use the blueprint to make more viruses. These newborn viruses burst out of our cells and repeat the process.

There’s a new virus out there and it belongs to a group called coronaviruses, because the spike proteins at the surface of these viruses look like a crown, and 'corona' is Latin for crown. Coronaviruses have been around for a while: in fact, they are responsible for a minority of cases of the common cold each year.

But, once in a while, a coronavirus that was infecting animals makes the leap into humans and manages to replicate successfully. It happened with SARS. It happened again with MERS. And now it’s happening once more with a virus called SARS-CoV-2, which hit us like a bat out of hell. The disease it causes is referred to as COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019).”

Since humans have never before been attacked by this particular virus, we have no internal defense against it. This is why it is also called a 'novel' virus.

It is possible at this time that certain anti-malarial drugs may be effective against the Covid-19 virus. The theory is that these drugs interfere with the ability of the virus to attach to receptors on cells, which is a prelude to invading the cell and hijacking the cell’s machinery to replicate. A virus that cannot replicate by itself and has to use a cell's machinery to do so but cannot enter a cell cannot replicate.

Although more knowledge about how the virus spreads and its structure, etc., is continually becoming available, it may be more than a year before there will be drugs or vaccines will be readily available. The only relief until a vaccine or drug is available will be relief of symptoms.

WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT COVID-19

1. The virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.
2. ALL surfaces, especially metal, where these droplets land are infectious for many hours and possibly days.
3. This virus can only infect your lungs.  
4. The only way for the virus to infect the lungs of a person is through the nose or mouth via hands or by an infected cough or sneeze onto or into the nose or mouth.
5. Face masks will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth. A face mask is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth after your hands have touched an infected surface.

WHAT WE CAN DO TO AVOID COVID-19 INFECTION

Because of what we do know about COVID-19, there are actions we can take to help avoid becoming infected and if we do get sick, what we can do to take care of ourselves and at the same time not spread the illness. Taking care of ourselves is critical because there is the real threat of the collapse of our healthcare system which could buckle under the strain of tens of thousands of patients.

Here are important steps to take immediately:

• Use disinfectant wipes at stores (or ones you bring with you), especially wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts. Click here to see a recipe for making DIY disinfecting wipes.
• Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds, no less, especially when returning home from any location where other people have been. Two stanzas of Happy Birthday are about the right length of time. Below is an informative video on proper hand washing from Dr. Joseph Schwarcz of the Office of Science and Society at McGill University:

• Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer at each of your home’s entrances and in your car. Use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer. (90% is optimal). Use only after touching possible contaminated objects when you can’t immediately wash your hands. Washing with soap and water is the best deterrent for this virus. Click here for a recipe for making hand sanitizer.              
• Drink plenty of water! it is always important for our health and well being to keep well hydrated.
• Unless you have a fever and difficulty breathing, you may only have a cold or the flu. If you believe you are showing symptoms of coronavirus COVID-19, please call your primary care doctor before going there. The same applies to emergency rooms and urgent care centers. They will need to follow special protocols to meet you upon your arrival.
• Most importantly, practice ‘social distancing.’ Stay at least 6 feet away from others and isolate yourself if you do become infected. This is of absolute importance. You will be saving not only the lives of those at increased risk of being infected, but also others who may need critical healthcare at the same time such as those with appendicitis, heart attacks, kidney failure, etc.
• Clean and sanitize as many surfaces as possible regularly since the virus can live on many surfaces (especially metal) for an unknown amount of time and possibly up to several days.
• Do whatever is necessary for you to bolster your immunity and mental state, especially if you need to be in quarantine. Sing, dance, read, connect with others through phone or social media, etc. Do exercise, if possible. Relax in the sun, if possible. Get plenty of sleep, if possible.
• Stay informed by checking information coming from reliable sources only, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

WHAT NOT TO DO

• Do NOT shake hands! Use a fist or elbow bump or even a slight bow, etc.
• Do NOT touch light switches, elevator buttons, etc., with your hands. Use your knuckle or a tissue.
• Do NOT lift a gasoline dispenser with your hand. Use a paper towel or a disposable glove.
• Do NOT open doors by grasping the handle with your hand (unless absolutely necessary). This is especially important on bathroom and commercial doors.
• Do NOT cough or sneeze into your elbow unless absolutely necessary. The infectious virus can stay on your clothing and may possibly be passed on. (The virus will be killed on the clothing with ordinary laundry detergent.)

WHAT TO HAVE ON HAND

• Latex or nitrile disposable gloves. Use these when shopping, using the gas pump, and in all other outside activity when you might come in contact with contaminated surfaces.        
• Disposable surgical masks. The warning here is that these are not to protect you from direct sneezes or coughs or but to stop you from touching your face with your hands (something we do constantly without knowing it).
• Hand sanitizers. (Store bought or DIY).
  
• Small packages of tissues to carry with you and paper towels to have on hand in your car.
• Any items that may possibly support your immune system. These could include zinc lozenges, Vitamins C and D, etc. It is possible that the use of some of these might possibly shorten the duration of a cold or flu and may possibly be of benefit in fighting coronaviruses.

HOW ABC CAN HELP

Due to efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, we will remain open with some limitations:

• In an effort to protect both our employees and our customers, we have suspended residential cleaning if the residence is occupied until further notice.
  
• We will continue to clean and sanitize the carpets, furniture, and tile and grout in businesses that have had to close as well as vacant apartments, homes, fraternities, sororities, educational buildings, etc.
• We have also instituted a 'no contact' policy for those customers who wish to drop off their rugs at our plant as well as for pick ups and deliveries. Please call our office at 607-272-1566 or view our website for more information.
• We are including sanitization with an EPA registered product at no additional charge during the pandemic.
• We are also offering 3 weeks of free storage upon payment of washing so there is no rush to bring rugs back home.
• Please also review our article on Soaps, Sanitizers, and Disinfectants.
  

Please call our office at 607-272-1566 to schedule or if you have any questions. We look forward to safer times and the ability to once again address all of your cleaning needs.

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