The Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) has claimed that sanitiser tunnels installed at strategic centres in the State are not scientific.
Parishad president A.P Muraleedharan says there is no scientific evidence for the effectiveness of such tunnels for disinfection and it would mislead people about preventive measures. Such tunnels give an impression that if people pass though it they would be safe and disinfected. A mist of 1% strong sodium hypochlorite is spayed in such tunnels.
Various countries, including India, follow the disinfection guidelines given by the World Health Organization and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in America. They do not recommend sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide for fumigation. Hypochlorite solution is used to clean tables, floors, and equipment in hospitals. But laboratories handling viruses or operation theatres do not use it for fumigation.
“The virus in hands, which mainly spreads the disease, will not be destroyed by such sanitiser tunnels. For that, washing of hands with soap and water or using sanitiser is the best way. Viral infection of the respiratory tract is the main cause of the disease. For preventing the infection one has to use mask. Sanitiser tunnels do not prevent such infections,” it says. For preventing viral infection, any chemical needs a specific contact time. So such mist spray would not even destroy viruses present on surfaces or non-living objects.The KSSP urged the government to stop installing such tunnels.
