March 13, 2020 Leave a Comment
Viruses need the cells of a living host to reproduce, so the life span of a virus outside of a human body (or some other living organism) is typically shorter than bacteria, which can reproduce on their own and without a host. This doesn't mean you can't catch a virus from touching surfaces or by shaking hands with someone. You certainly can, particularly if it is within a short time span after the virus has come into contact with that surface. Knowing what kills viruses on surfaces isn't enough to prevent the spread of virus. It's important that germs and bacteria are targeted as well.
Common Viruses
There are literally millions of viruses that exist. Most have never been dealt with by humans and never will be. Most of them have not been studied or categorized by the CDC and will never need to be. The latest threat, of course, is the new Coronavirus. The U.S. EPA on their website noted, "Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses, meaning they are one of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate disinfectant product". What this means is the Coronavirus has a coating on its outside call a lipid. The lipid envelope of these viruses is relatively sensitive and thus can be destroyed, making it highly susceptible to chlorine-based solutions like hypochlorous disinfectants. Because the virus is so new, there isn't enough data about what causes it and how to eliminate it, although the CDC, World Health Organization, and other health agencies issue standard advice for protecting yourself from getting the virus as they do any of the other viruses we deal with.
What Kills Viruses on Surfaces?
Preventing the spread of the cold and flu virus or any other virus is more than a matter of cleaning a surface. It's important to clean, disinfect, and sanitize surfaces on a regular basis to prevent viruses as well. Regarding viruses, we stated that some viruses can live outside the body and on surfaces at least for a short period of time. The flu is one of them. You can catch the flu or cold when you touch something an infected person has touched or has coughed or sneezed on. The most common way, however, is by coming into actual contact with the person. One of the most recommended ways to avoid spreading the cold or flu virus is with frequent hand washing with sanitizers. The CDC also recommends getting the flu vaccination each year and staying away from school, work, etc. when you are sick.
GenEon Is a Safe, Strong Line of Defense Against the Spread of Viruses and Other Germs
At GenEon, we have been developing and manufacturing cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting solutions that help keep the spread of bacteria, viruses, and other germs down or eliminate them altogether. Our cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants are made through a process known as electrochemical activation (ECA). This process uses water, natural minerals, and electricity to produce safe cleaners and toxic-free sanitizers and disinfectants that have 80 to 200 times sanitizing power of chlorine bleach. The good news is, GenEon products are sustainable and not harmful to people, pets, or to the planet. They are made using on-site generation technology, meaning that consumers create our cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants are made as needed, right on premise. This results in less waste and eliminates the need to store potentially harmful chemical-based cleaners in a facility.
