Survival on surfaces and textiles

The SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads by droplet and contact transmission when it is thrown into the air by sneezing or coughing. The droplets fall onto surrounding surfaces and can lead to indirect contact transmission.

• Facts about the virus and COVID-19 disease

Secretions from the respiratory tract (saliva, snot, mucus) may contain live viruses that can potentially survive on different types of surfaces from minutes to days.

The virus' ability to survive outside the body, and the risk of infection posed by the virus will vary, and depends on conditions such as amount of respiratory secretions with live SARS-CoV-2, type of surface, temperature and humidity.

SARS-CoV-2 tolerates high temperatures (40 ºC) and high humidity poorly.

The risk of indirect contact transmission is greatest if a surface is touched immediately after it has been contaminated.

It is not yet known how large a dose of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is needed for a person to develop COVID-19 disease. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the risk of indirect contact transmission. The virus' ability to cause disease probably decreases rapidly on surfaces, depending on the amount of virus.

With the exception of surfaces that are heavily contaminated with secretions from the respiratory tract, it is assumed that after a short time (minutes to hours), there is little risk of indirect contact transmission via contaminated objects. Good hand hygiene is the most important measure to prevent infection after contact with contaminated objects and / or surfaces.

Cleaning in companies, etc.

The employer should ensure that:

• Cleaning plans have been updated and a risk assessment of which areas should be prioritised has been carried out.
• Responsibility for various tasks is clearly defined.
• Resources to perform the cleaning are considered.
• Assess the need for the use of protective equipment for employees who are to perform the cleaning. Define the situations that require the use of protective equipment and the type of equipment required.
• Ensure training of employees incleaning and how to use protective equipment.

Implementation

• Ordinary cleaning routines must be followed. Daily cleaning of areas where many people pass through is recommended. Use regular cleaning products according to standard procedures.
• With increasing disease burden, consider frequent cleaning of common contact points like door handles, toilets, washbasins, payment terminals, stair railings, armrests, and other frequently touched objects or contact surfaces, depending on the number of people and contact frequency.
• Use disposable cloths as much as possible.
• Clean reusable cloths according to standard routines.
• Pay extra attention to kitchen and dining room hygiene. Hand hygiene should be performed before using the kitchen / dining room.
• Follow normal waste management procedures. Waste is disposed of as residual waste.
• There is no need for hygiene checks with, for example, ATP measurements in companies that normally do not do this.

Cleaning if an employee has developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19

• Clean the surroundings that the person with symptoms of COVID-19 has been in physical contact with, in a circumference of approx. 2 metres and over time, in the usual way before it is used by others, such as work desk, PC keyboard, armrests, office chair.
• Hotel rooms, treatment rooms etc.,  are cleaned as normal before the next guest / customer. Common textiles are handled according to normal routines.

Cleaning during and after home isolation

• It is not necessary to clean the room where the patient is staying before the isolation ends (10 days). If cleaning is to be carried out before the isolation ends, this should be done by the person who is isolated. Household members should avoid staying in the same room.
• When using a shared bathroom, the patient should wipe over the toilet seat and door handle after each use, using a cloth or wet wipes.
• Household members should perform regular cleaning in the home (kitchen, living room, bathroom).
• Assess the need for cleaning of common contact points and surfaces (door handles, bathroom washbasin, toilet) while isolation is ongoing.

Cleaning the room where the patient has stayed is carried out after isolation is over:

• The person who will do the cleaning can consider using a face mask until the room has been cleaned.
• Open windows in the room and ventilate well while cleaning.
• Roll up bedding carefully and put it in the washing machine immediately. Wash at the highest possible temperature, minimum 60 ºC.
• Wipe surfaces with a damp cloth and cleaning product.
• Disposable items that the patient has used during the isolation (magazines, newspapers, etc.) can be thrown away with residual waste.
• After cleaning, leave the windows open in the room.

It is not necessary to clean the entire home after the isolation is ended.

Cleaning during and after quarantine

Regular cleaning is sufficient

Textiles

Cleaning of textiles must follow ordinary routines.

There is no basis for using chemical disinfectants on textiles.

Textiles must be washed at the highest possible temperature, minimum 60 ºC.

There is no basis for performing routine disinfection of areas and surfaces as a result of COVID-19 in sectors outside the health service. Spot disinfection with alcohol or household chlorine can be used if necessary.

Table: overview of recommended measures

The table below gives some suggestions on how often different items should be cleaned. Local assessments must be made based on type of premises, number of people present, user group and situation, contact frequency to surfaces and fixtures.

The advice must be seen in the context of the general recommendations for cleaning described above and current recommendations for hand hygiene.

Disinfection

• There is no need to introduce disinfection routines in workplaces because of COVID-19. However, disinfectants can be used as an alternative to washing for extra cleaning of contact points.