Congratulations too! The winner of Edith Maxwell's A CHANGING LIGHT is PAT D. Pat, email Edith at Edith@EdithMaxwell.com
HALLIE EPHRON: Since March, 2020, I’ve been in a cleaning frenzy. Wiping down packages with disinfectant before bringing them into the house. Wiping down park benches before sitting on them. Using my sleeve to open doorknobs. Pressing elevator buttons with my knuckle.
Stockpiling cleaning supplies.
Here's a fraction of my stash...
Now, experts tell us, “There’s really no evidence that anyone has ever gotten Covid-19 by touching a contaminated surface.” That’s Linsey Marr, an expert on airborne viruses at Virginia Tech. Quoted in the New York Times.
More good/bad news: Researchers are tell us that the virus spreads primarily through the air in both large and small droplets hanging in the air, and scouring door handles and railings and subway seats does little to keep us safe.
As of April 5, the CDC caved and updated its cleaning guidelines:
The principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus. It is possible for people to be infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects (fomites), but the risk is generally considered to be low.So, in most everyday scenarios and environments, according to the CDC, people do not need to use chemical disinfectants. The best prevention is to wash your hands, wear a mask, and give the rest of humanity a wide berth.
So why have we been so focused for so long on surface cleaning when there’s no evidence that anyone has ever gotten COVID-19 by touching a contaminated surface? I’d argue that it’s the same reason we knock on wood. Because it’s something we can do in the face of something big and scary and that we barely understand and certainly cannot control.
So I suppose it’s a good sign that alcohol wipes and toilet paper are no longer in short supply. Ketchup is. We the people – we have our priorities.
How’s the cleaning going in your neck of the woods and do you have enough ketchup?
