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View all search resultsDo's, don'ts of applying antiseptics, disinfectants
Antiseptics and disinfectants are both effective at killing microorganisms, including the COVID-19 virus, but it's all in the application. Here are some do's and don'ts.
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T
he COVID-19 health crisis has prompted thousands of people to turn to antiseptics and disinfectants for added protection, as these products are effective at killing microorganisms and thereby contribute to minimizing the virus’ spread.
Although antiseptics and disinfectants may seem similar, they actually have different applications: The former is for applying to the body, while the latter is for inanimate surfaces and objects.
“Antiseptics kill bacteria and viruses on [parts of our body] like the hands, while disinfectants kill bacteria and viruses on [everyday surfaces],” celebrity doctor Aditya Surya Pratama said at a webinar on Thursday. And while antiseptic products could be used to clean frequently touched surfaces, they would not be as effective as disinfectants.
Earlier in March, Ajeng Arumsari, who heads the Research Unit for Clean Technology at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), confirmed that disinfectants could be used to kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“Disinfectants can destroy the [protective] fatty layer of the virus. It will weaken the coronavirus, which is weaker than other viruses, such as the norovirus, that have stronger membrane proteins,” Ajeng said in a statement.
But the World Health Organization (WHO) cautions that spraying disinfectant on environmental surfaces, like roads, will not eliminate the new coronavirus and could even pose a public health risk.
In its publication, “Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in the context of COVID-19”, the WHO says that spraying disinfectant can be ineffective.
