Should we all be washing in hot water to kill the Covid-19 virus ?
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Here are the warnings for hygiene from the fed Dept of Health. There is no mention of special clothes washing.
IIRC the temperature of water required to kill viruses quickly is higher than commonly used in hot water washing. I am not a doctor or a virologist but I will keep washing in cold water.
If you are really worried (you have somebody at risk at home perhaps) call your State Health hotline or call the Australian Government’s National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 .
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Hi Carol and welcome to the forum community. You will notice that I have moved your post to a thread with questions about how to protect ourselves from the COVID-19 virus.
I haven’t seen anywhere a recommendation to wash (I’m assuming you mean clothes) with hot water.
There are differing answers about how long the virus lives on surfaces and these answers are changing day by day as more research is done.
ABC News - How long does coronavirus last on surfaces?
NSW Health COVID-19 - Frequently asked questions
From reading these, I think if you leave the clothes for several days the virus will die naturally. If you then hang the washing in sunlight, that will help in disinfecting the clothes.
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If you mean a hot bath or shower, this is what the WHO states:
Taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease
Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19. Your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn you. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
The WHO website also has information busting many of the common myths about the COVID-19…
There are reports that social media is full of unproven treatments, prevention methods or controls for COVID-19. A lesson from this outbreak may be that individuals may be less likely to believe information from such sources or from pseudo-experts with opinion or unscientific beliefs…rather than going to world leading experts in the relevant field.
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Before knocking the general wearing of masks as being some sort of protection, though not perfect, it is worth reading
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Another interesting reference
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AFAIK its actually the soap which breaks the envelope the virus lives in, so it can be killed. Washing in any temperature, as long as soap is involved, should do the trick. Heat doesnt destroy it.
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The WHO, which bases it’s advice from recognised experts in the field states in relation to wearing masks…
- If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.
The issue with the wearing of masks by the general population is it could increase one’s risk of being infected with a bacteria or virus as most in the population don’t know how to wear the mask properly, controls needed to prevent inadvertent contamination of the mask/face or manage its effective use.
As it is likely that infection risks increase over the general population through inappropriate mask use, the WHO doesn’t recommend it for the general population.
Notwithstanding this, if everyone started using bought masks, it would place a strain on the supply to those who do need to wear them to protect themselves or others…potentially increasing risks to those who are exposed to confirmed COVID-19 cases. There are already reports of the medical profession struggling to find adequate supply of masks.
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Washable masks are quite easy to make even if by hand. There are lots of free patterns on the web.
I would be very cautious about making a DIY mask…as they provide a false sense of security/protection. This may lead to individuals placing themselves at greater risk of infection than that which would otherwise be the case.
Purchased masks are required to go through testing and quality control to prove their efficacy. This means that they work to prevent the respiratory intake of particles such as droplets containing COVID-19. They are also designed and shaped to fit the face to prevent bypassing of the mask filter during inhalation and exhalation. Such checks and balances are not made when one makes their own DIY mask. One is taking a punt that they will work or provide some sort of protection.
It is likely that the DIY mask will not be overly effective in times when one needs such protection (such as that outlined by the WHO above).
The WHO and health officials have indicated that the most beneficial controls for people who don’t work in health care are,
- staying home in self-isolation or self-quarantine,
- frequently and thoroughly washing your hands and
- practising appropriate social distancing
These are the best ways recommended by experts to lower the risk of exposure for you, your family and your community.
While one may have the right to make their own DIY mask, it does come with risks and may not provide the protection one thinks they will achieve from wearing such marks.
Most people have to go out, at least sporadically, to get essential supplies like food. So a mask to at least stop direct spluttering from those who get to close (actually about 3 m from a sneeze or cough) certainly wouldn’t hurt especially of you take it off and wash it after each use and dry out in the sun (UV kills many pathogens).
It helps in these troublesome times to take what good advice you see plus be a bit skeptical about advice from anonymous experts.
So it is better to rely on advice from pseudo-experts, influencers and such like on social media or other parts of the internet…in relation to DIY masks. I know who I would trust in relation to appropriate advice for our family to reduce our level of risk.
It certainly is not and I do not rely on advice from such people which is why the links I provided all show some sort of mask testing. I want to increase my chance of survival!!
I have put an interesting video of the measures taken on a personal basis in China to bring the pandemic under control on my dropbox. It can be viewed (for a day or two) at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l2ttuxhqvj4wckr/AACzEs7VMS87zxhJxucfxytha?dl=0
The best advice from the Govt Health officers.
If we choose to wear a mask as protection, what about your exposed face and eyes. If spatter is a concern perhaps a full face shield will be more useful?
Japan is managing COVID-19 better than most. Anecdotal or if you take first hand experience of travelling in Japan as good advice, the locals wear masks if they are unwell. It’s not a general strategy to protect you from others. It is to protect them from you. Polite! Some other of the local good behaviours like not sneezing or coughing in public, bowing, cleaning, not speaking on your mobile on public transport, etc seem to work well despite appearing to live like sardines in a can at times.
(Coronavirus data shows which countries have it under control. What did they do right? - ABC News)
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None of the countries where it appears that the virus is being brought under control; China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore followed that advice. They have tried to get everyone wearing masks at present.
If you can believe any of the State-crafted statistics that come out of China. Their idea of numbers are like The Donald’s idea of facts. They have many motives to underestimate: reducing tension in their population, looking good internationally, fitting the narrative that someone else started it all…
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The official advice of the Australian Govt Health Dept?
We are all very concerned about getting the right advice.
We are all free to wear if we have a supply of face masks, home made, or purchased. A personal choice. There has been plenty posted to clarify whether there is a real benefit.
Without tackling the language and translation issues with Google. Singapore advised in February a very similar strategy to the current Australian advice.
Perhaps those in Singapore etc are better at following doctor’s orders which is why they have also had great success for such a crowded space. It is worrying mask or no mask too many Aussies seem to be ignoring the recommendations on isolation and distancing highlighted as the key control measures by Singapore.
SINGAPORE - Wearing a mask is not the most important thing to do to keep the coronavirus at bay, said Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, director of medical services at the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Asked about this at a press conference on Wednesday (Feb 12), Prof Mak noted that there has been a lot of well-intentioned advice circulated on social media, including from doctors.
Current scientific research shows at aerosoled virus (coughed, sneezed etc) is detectable and viable for at least 4 hours. Research that was not available in Feb.
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This story has been updated with response from the WHO and calculations. A day is a long time about the topic, but.
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