Effectiveness of Disinfectants Suitable for Inactivating SARS-CoV-2 at Cold-Chain Temperature.

To prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in cold-chain transportation in China, we developed specific cryogenic disinfectants. Carrier tests were performed against SARS-CoV-2 at - 20 °C for the four cryogenic disinfectants developed and qRT-PCR was used to test the virus RNA. Peracetic acid, chlorine disinfectants (two different concentrations), and quaternary ammonium disinfectant with their antifreeze can all inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in 5 min at - 20 °C. However, after 2-3 h of exposure, only chlorine disinfectant could destroy SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The viruses treated with peracetic acid and quaternary disinfectants showed positive Ct values even after 3 h detected with qRT-PCR. The conclusion was that the cold-chain disinfectants we tested could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 quickly and effectively, but only chlorine disinfectants could destroy nucleic acids in 3 h. Our study also illustrated that using qRT-PCR detection of viral nucleic acids to assess disinfection was inappropriate.

Current status of prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic in elderly care institutions in Jiangsu Province

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic and health status of elderly care institutions in Jiangsu Province so as to provide basis for better implementing the state's work deployment on the COVID-19 epidemic and improving the health status and disinfection quality of elderly care institutions. METHODS: From Oct 2020 to Dec 2020, a survey was conducted for the elderly care institutions in Jiangsu Province by using self-designed survey plans and questionnaires, the results of the survey were collected and summarized by "Questionnaire Star" platform, and statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 23.0 software. RESULTS: The proportions of provision of anti-epidemic materials, indoor ventilation, environmental cleaning and disinfection, and staff's wearing masks were relatively high in 93 elderly care institutions, there was significant difference in the provision rate of hand-washing disinfectants between the medical treatment integrated care institutions and the non-medical treatment integrated care institutions (P < 0.05), there were no significant differences in other survey items.In terms of health monitoring, 719 samples were collected from environmental object surfaces for test of new coronavirus nucleic acid, and all of the results were negative;the average qualified rate of 1750 samples that were collected from air, object surfaces, tableware and staff' hands was 75.09%, the qualified rate of the tableware was the lowest, and there was significant difference in the qualified rate between the health care doctors' hands and the cleaning staff's hands (P < 0.05). There was significant difference in the qualified rate of air between the medical treatment integrated care institutions and the non-medical treatment integrated care institutions (P < 0.05), while there were no significant differences in the qualified rates of object surfaces, tableware and working staff' hands. CONCLUSION: In accordance with the requirements of the "Notice on Printing and Distributing the Technical Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of New Coronary Pneumonia Epidemic Prevention and Control in Key Units and Key Populations in Key Places", the implementation of state-issued notices needs to be strengthened in the elderly care institutions in Jiangsu Province and the environmental sanitation needs to be improved, it is suggested that the supervision and management of the environment should be strengthened in the elderly care institutions, and disinfection-related national standards and norms for elderly care institutions should be introduced as early as possible.