FEAR MONGERING DURING A PANDEMIC

Fear mongering is rampant! COVID 19 is bringing out the worst in people and it is bringing out greed as well. Please beware of products claiming to do what no other products do when it comes to managing pathogens, especially COVID -19. We have been receiving call after call, from customers and non-customers alike, asking for guidance and clarification on whether to trust that “this” product is actually better than “that” product with regards to disinfecting and protecting against COVID 19. You can pay hundreds of dollars per gallon for a product to kill COVID 19 or you can pay significantly less for an EPA registered product that is listed on the EPA site as effective against COVID 19. Will one do better than the other just because it costs more? No. Are there differences between the products? In many cases yes…but these differences are most often concentration, pH, fragrance, color and other specifications not having to do with whether it kills COVID or not. Whenever there is a crisis and fear abounds there always seems to be someone trying to profit from it. Take instant hand sanitizers…we have companies manufacturing using toxic ingredients in order to increase profit margins and take advantage of the worldwide shortage.

When it comes to disinfecting science still tells us that this virus is in a class that is among the easiest to kill on surfaces. You just have to do the job of properly disinfecting your surfaces, paying special attention to your HIGH TOUCH surfaces. High touch surfaces are those surfaces that we touch many times throughout the day. Light switches, door knobs, push plates, water fountains, faucet handles, flush handles, microwave buttons and doors, refrigerator handles, computer keys and so on. How do we properly disinfect? Pre-clean area with mild detergent if surfaces are visibly dirty. Bugs can hide in soil and by removing the soil you are removing the pathogens as well. Then, if using a concentrated disinfectant, dilute it properly. Apply solution to surfaces so that the surface remains wet for the required dwell time, most often 10 minutes. The dwell time gives the product enough time to achieve the 99.9% kill rate. Some classes of bacteria and viruses are killed much faster than others. Allowing for the dwell time listed on the label means you are killing all the listed pathogens. These are the same directions you should follow any time you use a disinfectant, not just in the middle of a pandemic.

Customer or not…please feel free to call us with any questions or concerns As we have heard over and over again…we are in this together!

We WILL defeat you!

Influenza and now Corona Virus! Should you be worried?

While we don’t think you should be locking yourself away over the Coronavirus you should be vigilant and aware. So far there is only one confirmed case in the U.S. The patient had been in Wuhan, China, the suspected ground zero for this virus. He is being treated in Washington state. While there is confirmation that some limited person-to-person spread is occurring in Asia the CDC continues to believe that the risk of 2019-nCoV to the American public at large remains low at this time.

So what IS Coronavirus? This is a large family of viruses, some causing respiratory illness in people and others circulating among animals including, cats, bats, and camels. Rarely, these animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people, as was seen with the SARS outbreak which was thought to spread via respiratory droplets with close contacts. How the coronavirus is actually spread is still unclear. Data is still be studied.

Please call us to find out which products we recommend to fight off a wide variety of bacteria and viruses, including the Coronavirus.

UPDATE: SECOND CASE IDENTIFIED. A woman who had recently been traveling in Wuhan China has been diagnosed with Coronavirus. Here at home, a possible case of coronavirus. Texas A&M student may possibly have contracted the virus when traveling in the Wuhan region of China. He is currently quarantined awaiting test results.

From the CDC: Prevention steps for people confirmed to have or are being evaluated for the infection who can receive home care. Stay home unless you go out for medical care. Separate yourself from other people in your home. Use a separate bathroom if possible. Call ahead before visiting your doctor. They will need to take precautions to keep other people from getting infected. Wear a facemask when in the room with other people or at a healthcare provider office. If you cannot, the people around you should be wearing one. Cover your coughs and sneezes. Throw used tissues in a lines trash can and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Wash hands often and thoroughly. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid sharing household items such as dishes, utensils, towels, bedding or other items. Monitor your symptoms. Get prompt medical care if illness is worsening (difficulty breathing).