Health Impacts of Long-term Exposure to Disinfectants During SARS-Cov-2 Pandemic

Abstract

necessary to consider appropriate health measures against this virus. According to WHO reports, the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to last between 18 and 24 months. In this situation, long-term use of chemical disinfectants, especially chlorinated substances and detergents, in addition to causing harmful effects on human health, can pose a threat to the environment, water, and soil resources. Due to their high efficiency, availability, and affordability, the chlorinated compounds are commonly used as the most important disinfectant in preventing the spread of infectious disease. These compounds have a highly toxic effect on the airways and cause short-term and long-term pulmonary complications. Acute and severe exposure to chlorine gas, especially indoors, can lead to acute and severe shortness of breath, airway spasm, wheezing, and pulmonary embolism. These complications are so severe in some cases that can lead to hospitalization. Long-term complications are also observed such as chronic asthma which may require long-term treatment (5,6). Hence, it seems necessary to provide an effective protocol for disinfection for a long time, which poses a low risk to the environment and to human health. In this regard, the use of disinfectants effective against the SARS-Cov-2 virus with less toxic effects can be a good alternative. Accordingly, it is necessary to pay attention to the following points: • Engineering controls should be considered for decreasing the adverse health effects of frequent use of disinfectants including ventilation and isolation. Therefore, proper ventilation of indoor air in hospitals can prevent overexposure of health care staff and patients with the used disinfectants. Moreover, isolation can be an effective method in engineering control, in which disinfection can mainly be performed in a shift when fewer health care stuff are exposed (7). Received 9 June, 2020; Revised 18 June, 2020; Accepted 25 June, 2020