Sanitation defeats sickness before it can spread

Properly sanitizing anything that has a possibility of transmitting an illness can stop it in its tracks.

How to properly sanitize things so one doesn’t get sick - pathogen rather than virus oriented

Elizabeth Bernate

Whether during times of a pandemic or any day after, sanitation is as important as ever, as evidenced by the March 26 revision to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Detailed Disinfection Guidance recommendations. Many may follow these recommendations either blindly or not at all, but there are many misconceptions about the act of cleaning, which is not the same as disinfecting and does not necessarily lessen disease transmission.

According to a North Dakota State University publication, cleaning only removes excretions from a surface while the act of sanitizing reduces the number of pathogens - bacteria, microorganisms and certain viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from surfaces in order to prevent transmission. This is why the CDC’s recommendations include sanitation, not cleaning, to destroy microbes rather than just removing grime from surfaces, which helps to further prevent the advancement of diseases.

“I think sanitation is key to maintaining a healthy wellbeing,” junior Johnnie Ferrito said. “I believe its greatest value is fending off the diseases and germs that people are unknowingly exposed to every day. I also feel that people who actively sanitize their environment can reap some internal benefits. People who have such values on staying healthy might transfer those methods to maintaining good hygiene and being more aware of your surroundings. Overall, I think it’s truly important that such a thing exists in our society.”

In the CDC’s recommendations, after sterilizing anything, they insist on washing hands, and if soap and water are not readily available, then in certain circumstances, hand sanitizer will suffice. This can be corroborated in an article by Smithsonian Magazine, explaining the effectiveness of washing hands when it comes to preventing one from getting infected by a pathogen.

Pathogens have an outer coating, or an envelope, that aids them in spreading to cells that have yet to be affected. The molecules of soap have substances of fat that allow for the soap to go in and break down the envelope, rendering the pathogen useless.

Likewise, alcohol-based hand sanitizers also help break down these envelopes of the outer bit of a pathogen by changing its chemical properties to create less stability and are therefore less transmissive by breaking down proteins in the interior of the pathogen. It is recommended to use hand sanitizer that has 60 percent alcohol at a minimum so that it still has a strong level of disinfectant, yet enough water to allow proteins to unravel, and to make sure to let the hand sanitizer dry completely to complete its cycle of disinfecting.

Even though both methods are effective, washing hands is the most effective because it removes microbes from the skin, unlike hand sanitizer, which just sterilizes it.

“[Sanitation] should be used no matter the circumstances,” junior Daphne Maldonado said. “I believe that before COVID-19, we didn’t take sanitation seriously, and now that we need to, people have. I think sanitation is important especially since I’m still an essential worker; it helps rid of germs and helps keep [people] safe. Sanitation is a main part of our job because we don’t want to make food while being dirty - we don’t want to spread any germs.”

According to the CDC, whenever sanitizing anything, it is recommended to wear disposable gloves that one can discard following sterilization.

When disinfecting anything, it is also recommended to use soap and water first and then a detergent or even a disinfectant, always looking at the back of the label to see if the disinfectant is an EPA-registered household disinfectant. Follow the instructions on the back to utilize the cleaner to its highest potential to prevent bacteria. When washing anything, the CDC recommends using soap and water or an appropriate cleanser, and with the highest temperature appropriate for that product, making sure to dry it completely.

After disinfecting, properly dispose of gloves in the trash and wash hands immediately, using soap and water for twenty seconds. Using hand sanitizer is a slightly more risky method, and if hands are visibly dirty, then it is highly recommended to wash hands instead.

Even when not sterilizing anything, it is always important to avoid touching the nose, eyes or mouth, and to frequently clean hands after blowing one’s nose, coughing, sneezing, using the restroom, preparing a meal, touching animals or pets and caring for someone who is sick.

This all may seem like common sense. However, it is the first line of defense to protect oneself against an unwanted visitor.

“I think that it is not only important, but a responsibility to practice sanitation,” junior Trisha Pitchala said. “Pathogens are invisible, deadly, life-changing. Practicing sanitation is essential for everyday life but especially important in times when the world is stricken by a ruthless virus. Things like washing your hands, coughing into your shoulder and sanitizing locations that you touch often is a responsibility. With the coronavirus, there are asymptomatic carriers who often don’t know that they have the virus and they go about their life without implementing sanitation. These people could infect their family members such as grandparents or young siblings with weaker immune systems. Everyone, regardless of age or health level, needs to practice sanitization to protect themselves and others. Protect your life - there’s nothing more important than that."