This archive report was first published on 17 May 2020.
On May 16, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned against spraying disinfectants on streets, citing its ineffectiveness in eliminating the new coronavirus and posing a health risk.
According to the WHO, spraying disinfectants on streets and pavements is not a recommended practice, as it can be inactivated by dirt and debris, rendering it ineffective.
“Spraying or fumigation of outdoor spaces, such as streets or marketplaces, is… not recommended to kill the COVID-19 virus or other pathogens because disinfectant is inactivated by dirt and debris,” explains the WHO.
Furthermore, the WHO warns that spraying individuals with disinfectants is “not recommended under any circumstances,” as it can cause physical and psychological harm and would not reduce an infected person’s ability to spread the virus through droplets or contact.
Additionally, the organisation cautions against the systematic spraying and fumigating of disinfectants on to surfaces in indoor spaces, citing a study that has shown it to be ineffective outside direct spraying areas.
Instead, the WHO recommends applying disinfectants with a cloth or wipe that has been soaked in disinfectant.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of the pandemic that has killed more than 300,000 people worldwide since its appearance in late December in China, can attach itself to surfaces and objects.
However, no precise information is currently available for the period during which the viruses remain infectious on the various surfaces.
