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Did You Know

DISINFECTING IS NOT THE SAME AS SANITIZING

REMOVES

foreign material from
surfaces/objects.
Does not kill germs.1,2

REDUCES

number of germs on
surfaces/objects to safe level.2,3

KILLS*

most germs on surfaces/objects.2,3

DESTROYS ALL

viable microorganisms1,3

KNOWING ABOUT GERMS – BACTERIA & VIRUSES

GERMS CAN GET VERY CLOSE TO YOU

Dust particles in your indoor
environment such as your homes,
offices, schools etc. have an
abundance of bacteria.4,5

Germs can adhere to your clothes
fabric6,7 and transfer to your hands, other fabrics or even objects (e.g. mobile phones/keyboards) etc. when you come in contact with them.*

Your mask does not filter 100% of
germs. Some germs may still able to pass through your mask and be inhaled by you.10

Notes:

* A review of several studies showed an average of 68% of mobile phones were contaminated.8
* A review of several studies, collectively found 96.7% of keyboards were contaminated by germs.9

GERMS CAN SURVIVE ON SURFACES FOR A WHILE

Certain viruses on PVC, plastic, wood, glass, aluminium, ceramic etc. surfaces can remain infectious up to 9 days.11

SARS-CoV-2 virus is more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard and viable virus was detected up to 3 days after application to these materials.12

METALS CAN KILL GERMS

Some metals such as silver and zinc have anti-infective properties.13,14

Silver ions have the highest antimicrobial activity among all
the other metals.13,14

Metals such as silver is considered as an inactivating agent under CDC Guideline for
Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008) and has been used in wound
dressings, implants, clothing etc. for its antimicrobial properties.1,14

RISK OF EXPOSURE TO GERMS

Caregivers’ concerns

Survey results show that families (of cancer patients) are more worried about their patient’s well being while away from home than at home.15

Places, factors, and situations are cause for concern and anxiety for caregivers.

Germs are ubiquitous – they are present or found everywhere (indoors and outdoors). You may unknowingly come in contact with harmful germs and spread them within the household or to your loved ones.

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REFERENCES

  1. CDC, Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities. 2008. https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/index.html .
  2. CDC, How to Clean and Disinfect Schools to Help Slow the Spread of Flu. Sep 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm.
  3. Healthline, The Difference Between Disinfecting and Sterilizing. Feb 2021. https://www.healthline.com/health/disinfect-vs-sterilize#differences.
  4. Krissi M. Hewitt et al., Office Space Bacterial Abundance and Diversity in Three Metropolitan Areas. PLoS One 2012; 7(5).
  5. Helena Rintala et al., Diversity and seasonal dynamics of bacterial community in indoor environment. BMC Microbiology 2008; 8(56).
  6. Professor Sally F. Bloomfield et al., The infection risks associated with clothing and household linens in home and everyday life settings, and the role of laundry. International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene 2013.
  7. A. Sattar et al., Transfer of bacteria from fabrics to hands and other fabrics: development and application of a quantitative method using Staphylococcus aureus as a model. Journal of Applied Microbiology 2001; 90:962-970.
  8. Matthew Olsen al. Mobile phones represent a pathway for microbial transmission: A scoping review. Travel Med and Infect Dis. 2020; 35 (101704).
  9. Nicole Ide al. What’s on your keyboard? A systematic review of the contamination of peripheral computer devices in healthcare settings. BMJ Open. 2019; 9(3): e026437.
  10. Hiroshi Ueki et al., Effectiveness of Face Masks in Preventing Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2. mSphere 2020; 5(5).
  11. Kampf et al., Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. J Hospital Infection 2020; 104:246-251.
  12. van Doremalen et al., Aerosol and surface stability of SARS-CoV-2 as compared with SARS-CoV-1. N Engl J of Medicine 2020; 382:1564-1567.
  13. Nadia Silvestry – Rodriguez et al., Silver as a Disinfectant. Rev Environ Contam. Toxicol. 2007; 191:23-45.
  14. David J. Weber et al., Self-disinfecting surfaces: Review o current methodologies and future prospects. Am J of Infection Control 2013; 41:31-S35.
  15. Data on file. Taiho Pharmaceutical online survey; N=41 (family members of cancer patients), conducted in April 2016.