Washing hands and Halloween candy can diminish COVID-19 introduction hazard

Overview

• Post By : Kumar Jeetendra


• Source: American Society for Microbiology


• Date: 02 Nov,2020

New research indicates that COVID-19 exposure risk from contaminated candy might be successfully mitigated either by washing hands and washing candy with a simple at-home technique. A group of researchers published this work today in mSystems, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

The researchers enrolled 10 recently diagnosed asymptomatic or mildly/moderately symptomatic COVID-19 patients to manage typical Halloween candy (bits individually wrapped) under three conditions: normal handling with unwashed hands, deliberate coughing and extensive touching, and standard handling following handwashing.

The researchers explained how they washed the candy, a very simple process, that should be easy for everyone to recreate with household ingredients: In a container large enough to fit the quantity of candy you intend to wash, prepare a 1:50 dilution of dish soap detergent (containing Sodium laureth sulfate [SLS] occasionally written as Sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS]) in water by mixing 3 ounces of detergent per gallon of water. Submerge the candy in the solution and agitate to evenly cover all surfaces of the candy wrappers using the detergent solution. Allow the candy sit in the detergent solution for no less than one minute. Finally, rinse the candy with clean water.

In the candies not washed post-handling, SARS-CoV-2 was detected on 60 percent of candies which were deliberately coughed on, 60 percent of candies normally handled with unwashed hands, but just 10 percent of candies handled after hand washing. Treating candy with dishwashing detergent decreased SARS-CoV-2 load by 62.1% in comparison to untreated candy. Viral RNA load of SARS-CoV-2 was reduced to near zero by the mix of handwashing from the infected individual and? 1 minute detergent treatment after set.

It’s important to note that SARS-CoV-2 is mostly transmitted by respiratory droplets and aerosols.

Taking preventative measures to clean candy is reasonable if one wants to be extra cautious, but the main risk of COVID-19 transmission during trick-or-treating is airborne transmission.”

Rodolfo Salido, Ph.D., lead author on the study and research associate in the department of engineering, University of California, San Diego