[p2tech] [Fwd: Re: Fw: Products for H1N1 mitigation: Could you give me your thoughts]

Hi everyone,

This is from my daughter, the doctor -- well she will be in a year or so.

Janet Clark

-------- Original Message --------

I would think that anything with enough alcohol would kill it, as  
would ordinary soap and water.  These are not terribly hardy viruses.

The big thing to keep in mind with upper respiratory viruses is that  
they can't get from your hands to your face on their own steam.   
Touching your own eyes, nose, and mouth becomes a hazardous behavior  
(we joke that the use of a facemask is that it keeps you from touching  
your own face).

Don't shake people's hands, don't share keyboards or phones.  And wash  
prior to touching your own face.  Whitney

>> >> Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 16:41:02 -0500
>> To: Gangmark.Carolyn at epamail.epa.gov, p2tech at great-lakes.net
>> From: Georjean Adams <gla at ehsstrategies.com>
>> Cc: rhonda.schulz at ecolab.com, Bell.Cathe at epamail.epa.gov
>> Subject: Re: [p2tech] Fw: Products for H1N1 mitigation: Could you  
>> give me
>> your thoughts
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>> Ecolab offers Asepti-Wipe II which is registered with EPA with an  
>> Influenza A claim.
>>
>> Contact:
>> RHONDA SCHULZ
>> Associate Director, Product Registration & Compliance Law &  
>> Regulatory
>> Affairs ECOLAB 370 Wabasha Street North - EUC 9 St. Paul, MN  
>> 55102-1390
>>
>> T 651-293-4026
>> F 651-225-3122
>>
>> rhonda.schulz at ecolab.com
>>
>>
>> Georjean Adams
>>
>>
>> At 7:59 AM -0700 9/9/09, Gangmark.Carolyn at epamail.epa.gov wrote:
>>> Hello P2 Tech Community.  My colleague Cathe Bell (message below) is
>>> seeking feedback re disinfectant wipes to be used this fall to help
>>> prevent cases of H1N1 in our EPA R10 office.  Since many of you have
>>> expertise in this area and work in offices where similar decision  
>>> making
>>> is underway... thought that we might all benefit from the collective
>>> wisdom.  Thoughts???   Thanks so much.
>>>
>>> Carolyn Gangmark
>>> U.S. EPA Region 10
>>> 1200 6th Ave. Suite 900 AWT-128
>>> Seattle, WA  98101
>>> Phone (206) 553-4072
>>> FAX (206) 553-8509
>>>
>>> If we don't get climate right - nothing else matters.
>>> ----- Forwarded by Carolyn Gangmark/R10/USEPA/US on 09/09/2009  
>>> 07:51 AM
>>> -----
>>>
>>>             Cathe
>>>             Bell/R10/USEPA/U
>>>              
>>> S                                                       To
>>>
>>>             09/08/2009  
>>> 05:36                                        cc
>>>             PM                       OARM-OA-SHEMD-SHEMPMGRS
>>>                                                                 
>>> Subject
>>>                                      Products for H1N1 mitigation:
>>>                                      Could you give me your thoughts
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Colleagues:
>>>
>>> I'd like both your personal and professional opinion about some
>>> products that I am considering purchasing to help reduce the  
>>> impact of
>>> H1N1 in our workplace this winter.  I've contacted you because I  
>>> value
>>> your thinking on the subject.  I trust that your combined experience
>>> will help me select products that are as powerful as we might  
>>> need, but
>>> as benign as possible.
>>>
>>> Here is the situation:  to equip staff to reduce flu transmission  
>>> in the
>>> workplace, I'm going to follow a strategy which includes
>>>      1.  flu shots:  both seasonal and H1N1
>>>      2.  messages on ways to reduce disease transmission by personal
>>> hygiene and practices, and
>>>      3.  provision of sanitizers to be used in places where disease
>>> transmission is more likely.
>>>
>>> I hesitate, for a number of reasons to bring additional chemicals  
>>> into
>>> our workplace.  However, the guidance I'm receiving, both internal  
>>> to
>>> R10 and from CDC, encourages me to consider these as components of  
>>> an
>>> public health approach which will be  more effective than  
>>> "business as
>>> usual."
>>>
>>> The elements are simple:  a limited amount of sanitizing wipes and  
>>> hand
>>> sanitizers will be stationed around the floors to be used in areas  
>>> the
>>> public frequents or staff congregates.  The wipes will also be made
>>> available to IT staff to destroy microbes before they handle what is
>>> likely to be contaminated equipment.
>>>
>>> I'd like your opinions on the wipe sanitizers, specifically.  I've
>>> attached a sheet with the names and characteristics of some products
>>> I've investigated.  I'd like to hear your opinions on whether and  
>>> how to
>>> station these, and, more importantly, arguments for selecting  
>>> specific
>>> products.
>>>
>>> Now, I'm going to bias you (stop reading, review the information and
>>> respond, if you'd like).  I'm inclined to opt for simple chemicals
>>> rather that the various takes on benzalkonium chloride and complex
>>> antimicrobials.  From what I've read, all of these products are  
>>> almost
>>> equally effective.  The difference between the alcohol, chlorine,  
>>> and
>>> hydrogen peroxide based sanitizers and some of the more complex
>>> materials is that the latter's antimicrobial action may last a bit
>>> longer, longer on the order of hours.  For our uses, I'm not sure  
>>> that
>>> is critical.  There are three issues I'd like to weight toward:   
>>> a) that
>>> the wipes are not irritating, particularly to more sensitive  
>>> members of
>>> our community, b) manufacturing of the product is relatively  
>>> simple and
>>> sustainable, and c) the product does not contribute to antimicrobial
>>> resistance.  Look at my list and know I'm open to your thoughts.
>>>
>>> Again, these wipes will be used to clean up after sneezing/ 
>>> coughing, if
>>> someone sick has been in an area, in offices where a sick person has
>>> left within 48 hours and office materials must be accessed, in  
>>> public
>>> greeting areas, and to the PC Hotline and administrative support  
>>> staff
>>> to use when they handle staff equipment.
>>>
>>>
>>> Note:  manufacturing bleach may involve mercury cells (to be  
>>> phased out
>>> by 2020), a drawback. Or they may depend on membranes.
>>>
>>> (See attached file: wipes_product comparisons for comment.doc)
>>>
>>>
>>> SHEMPMGRS:  this is for your information only, so that you do not  
>>> need
>>> to duplicate this work.  No comments are expected, although you  
>>> know I'd
>>> welcome your educated opinions!
>>>
>>>> From the Desk of
>>> Cathe Bell
>>> Safety, Health and Environmental Management
>>> US EPA Region 10, M/S OMP-077
>>> Seattle, WA 98101
>>> Tel: 206-553-0308
>>> BlackBerry: 206-399-9394            Fax: 206-553-0714
>>>
>>>
>>> OMP wants to hear from you, click here to provide feedback.
>>>
>>>
>>> Safety, Health and Environmental Management, R10 Intranet
>>>
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>>>
>>> p2tech is hosted by the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN):
>>>
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>>> All views and opinions presented above are solely those of the  
>>> author
>>> or attributed source and do not necessarily reflect those of GLIN or
>>> the Great Lakes Commission.
>>>
>>> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>>>
>>> Attachment converted: Macintosh HD:wipes_product compa#1901923.doc  
>>> (WDBN/«IC») (01901923)
>>
>>
>> --
>> EHS Strategies, Inc.
>> - enabling organizations to meet their EHS vision
>> http://ehsstrategies.com
>> 651-204-3371
>>
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>>
> <wipes_product comparisons for comment 1.doc>