(WTNH) — While health experts say the overall risk of exposure to the coronavirus is the United States is low, they are still encouraging Americans to be prepared.
One step they can take to prevent any respiratory illness is to clean and sanitize their environments.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a list of disinfectant products that have been approved for use against the coronavirus.
Among those on the list are popular household brands like Clorox and Lysol. The products were broken down into several categories wipe, dilutable, and ready to use (RTU).
According to ABC News, an EPA spokesperson said the companies on the list had to demonstrate their products are effective against viruses that are even “harder-to-kill” than the novel coronavirus. They also noted that the agency hadn’t reviewed any products without an EPA registration number.
EPA does not review other household products, such as vinegar, or whether they’re effective against viruses and bacteria.
Consumers are encouraged to pay attention to the labels — precisely how long a product needs to stay on the surface to be effective. People are reminded to wash their hands with soap and water and avoid touching their faces.
Hand sanitizer can also be used; however, it must contain at least 60% alcohol to reduce the number of germs on a persons’ hands, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions reports.
It also said sanitizers with lower percentages of alcohol are not as effective.
