Dr George Christos

covid19 & other Infectious diseases

#Covid19. Do not forget about fomites and surfaces


Being one of the architects who suggested that most #covid19 #superspreading events occurs #indoors and via #aerosols does not mean you can forget about the possibility of infection from fomites and surfaces. Not everyone gets infected in a superspreading event.

One of my posts on Twitter in 2020 about aerosols
How long the coronavirus survives on a surface depends on the temperature and the type of surface. Here is a good guide.

In cooler weather the SARS-CoV2 virus (or novel coronavirus) can survive on lots of surfaces. Here is a chart with results from the CSIRO. Below 30 deg. C, it can still survive on surfaces like cotton, metals, glass banknotes for days. Note it can survive on paper banknote fro up to 21 days. this is why in April 2020 China recalled all its banknotes to have them sterilized. And in temperatures below 20 deg. C it can last on steel, polymer banknotes, glass etc for at least 28 days. This means in winter there will be much more coronavirus in the form if virions or fomites on surfaces.

You cannot avoid touching some surfaces so what you need to practice is to not touch your face. Pre-covid the average person would touch their face 15 times an hour. You need to practice hard not to touch your face especially near you mouth, nose or eyes as these are the key entry points for the virus. In addition to trying to avoid touching too many surfaces, not touching your face at all, you need to wash you hands as often as possible. Alcohol hand sanitizers need to be above 70% alcohol to destroy the SARS-CoV2 virus. Soapy water helps to dissolve the virus’s fatty membrane and is probably the best way to destroy the virus.

One of the worst things I see when I go out, besides people not wearing masks properly is that they touch the outside of their mask, and then touch their faces. If the coronavirus was in the air you breathing in and out will collect virions on the outside surface of your mask. Theoretically your should disposed of your mask, or wash it carefully, every time you go out. I myself take my mask off carefully touching only the straps and lets it sit on my dashboard where it gets lots of UV sunlight and heat. My mask can ten be reused again the next day.

Some other things you can do to minimise the transmission of the coronavirus is not to shake hands with people. Instead of shaking hands do the Wuhan shoe tap or my elbow tap. Shaking hands has always been a pretty disgusting thing to do given that your hands are generally one of the dirtiest parts of your body. I would also not use real money like coins and banknotes, and avoid handling the same objects as others. I can touch things and share items as long as I do not touch my face until I have washed my hands properly. So the key to all of this is DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE unless your hands are clean.

After being out you may also get virions on your clothes and these can aerosolize when you get home. What I do is, I have an industrial blower and I give myself a good blowjob when I get home, and and the air is blown out of my front door. You could probably use a wet soapy cloth to clean your groceries quickly when you put them in the fridge. Dilute soapy water is good enough. You do not have to use bleach or alcohol. Personally I do not wash my groceries any more, but I never touch my face unless I have just washed my hands.

No matter how careful I am, I may still get the virus in my airways so when I get home I gargle diluted betadine 0.5% (1 part in 20 of water). I should also let this pass through my nasal area. I can use a “Nelly Pot” to do this. I personally just use a viral nasal spray like “Vicks, First Defense” instead. When I wash my hand, I also wash my face too.

Nothing beats a good blowjob when you get home in these covid times.
A Nelly Pot

How to Use a Neti Pot to Treat Congestion and Snoring
how to use a netty pot.

I hope the above helps. I also have a really good HEPA filter in my house and I taker lots of vitamins and other stuff before I go out. I will write about that another time, and more about masks.

Here’s the documentary I made with my friend Rebecca Ronita.




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