The Directorate of Public Health (DPH) has issued a note calling into question the efficacy of sanitisation tunnels , and said no more such tunnels are to be installed in Tamil Nadu.
With disinfection tunnels being set up in public places in some parts of the State, K. Kolandaswamy, director of public health, in a circular issued to all deputy directors of health services on April 11, said disinfection tunnels would create a false sense of security and people may be diverted from handwash to the tunnel.
Going a step further, the DPH said that spraying of disinfectants on human beings was ineffective and also harmful.
The directorate instructed officials that the tunnels should not be installed and used.
People visiting public places had to walk into the tunnels after washing their hands. It had nozzles spraying 1% sodium hypochlorite solution on them.
The DPH has been stressing on hand hygiene and regular disinfection of surfaces as precautionary measures not only for COVID-19 but also for H1N1 influenza for many years now.
In fact, it has shared the World Health Organisation’s myth buster with its officials.
Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new coronavirus? No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes in the eyes, and mouth. Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.
Published - April 12, 2020 09:42 am IST
