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Coronavirus: Pune civic body deploys workers to disinfect public, residential areas
Sodium hypochlorite sprayed at hosps, inside public buses, residential areas, govt offices
The officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have geared up to disinfect public places and three kilometre radius of the residential areas where the positive cases of Covid-19 (coronavirus) have been detected, the administration said on Monday.
Shyam Mane, medical superintendent, PMC, said, “We are spraying sodium hypochlorite at hospitals, inside public transport buses and residential areas in the three kilometre radius where positive Covid-19 have been detected. We have distributed spray cans, chemicals and pumps to the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) and hospital authorities in the city.”
“The administration has also sent out special groups with health and PMC officials to create awareness among the masses on how to maintain cleanliness,” said Mane.
Ramchandra Hankare, chief health officer, said, “We are spraying disinfectants at various ward offices and government offices as well and visit these places on a daily basis.”
All passengers who have returned from other countries have been put under home isolation and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has fixed a procedure to clean the areas. The guideline states, “Due to the potential survival of the virus in the environment for several days, the premises and areas potentially contaminated with the Covid-19 should be cleaned before their reuse, using products containing antimicrobial agents known to be effective against coronaviruses.”
“ Although there is a lack of specific evidence for their effectiveness against Covid-19, cleaning with water and household detergents and use of common disinfectant products should be sufficient for general precautionary cleaning. Tests carried out using SARS-CoV showed that sodium hypochlorite is effective,” according to the guidelines.
These norms provide guidance for environmental cleaning in quarantine facilities housing people exposed/ potentially exposed to Covid-19 and have been adapted based on the Hospital Infection Prevention and Control guidelines drafted by National Cooperative Development Corporation in collaboration with WHO and other stakeholders.
Dr Avinash Bhondwe, state president, Indian Medical Association, said, “Sodium hypochlorite acts like a disinfectant. There is no need to buy the specific chemical, it is just like sanitisers and soaps which perform the same function.”
