Thank you for contacting CDC-INFO. We are sorry for the delay in responding to your inquiry. A recent high volume of inquiries has delayed our response.
We hope you find the following information about guidance on businesses helpful.
On March 16, 2020, the President of the United States issued updated Coronavirus Guidelines for America. This guidance states that:
"If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule."
In accordance with this mandate, and in collaboration with other federal agencies and the private sector, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) developed an initial list of "Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers" to help state and local officials as they work to protect their communities, while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security. Visit the CISA website to view this list of "Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers."
If you have additional questions about critical infrastructure sectors, services, and functions in your area, please contact your state or local government for information specific to your community.
CDC does not recommend the use of products like vodka and hand sanitizer to disinfect surfaces from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
In general, community members can practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks) with household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants that are appropriate for the surface, following label instructions. Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions community members should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
For more information on how to clean and disinfect surfaces and other items, as well as information on hand hygiene and other preventive measures, see CDC's interim cleaning and disinfection recommendations for U.S. households, which is available on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html.
This interim guidance is based on what is currently known about COVID-19. CDC will update this interim guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available. Please check the CDC website periodically for the most-up-to-date interim guidance.
For more information, please visit the following CDC websites:
CDC Resources
Interim Guidance for Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-workers/implementing-safety-practices.html
Coronavirus Disease 2019: Information for Businesses
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
Health Department Listings
https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/healthdirectories/healthdepartments.html
Coronavirus Disease 2019: Cleaning and Disinfection for Households
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html
Coronavirus Disease 2019: Household Checklist
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/checklist-household-ready.html
Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html
Coronavirus Disease 2019: How to Protect Yourself & Others
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
When and How to Wash Your Hands
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
External Resources
External Resources
Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce
Coronavirus Guidelines for America
The White House
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/coronavirus-guidelines-america/
State Governments
USA.gov
https://www.usa.gov/states-and-territories
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)-Fighting Products
American Chemistry Council
https://www.americanchemistry.com/Novel-Coronavirus-Fighting-Products-List.pdf
EPA provides critical information to the American public about safe disinfectant use
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-provides-critical-information-american-public-about-safe-disinfectant-use
------------------------------
Cy Shuster, RPT
Albuquerque, NM
http://www.shusterpiano.com------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 05-04-2020 13:07
From: Cy Shuster
Subject: Bioesque Disinfectant
And what about our procedures between pianos?
If the virus can stay on hard surfaces for three days, and you can get infected by touching a hard surface and then your face (confirmed by a reply I got from CDC), can your tools pick up a virus from a hard surface like a tuning pin, and transmit it to another piano? Will we have to disinfect our tools after each one? What about our tool cases?
Imagine an infected person has sneezed over a grand with the lid up, just before we got there.
CDC does not recommend the use of products like vodka and hand sanitizer to disinfect surfaces from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
In general, community members can practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks) with household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants that are appropriate for the surface, following label instructions. Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions community members should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
For more information on how to clean and disinfect surfaces and other items, as well as information on hand hygiene and other preventive measures, see CDC's interim cleaning and disinfection recommendations for U.S. households, which is available on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html.
-Cy-
Original Message------
Somehow the post I sent got cut off before it was delivered. Here's the rest.
I actually cleaned the keys thoroughly, and my cleaning rag was soon wet, so I'm sure the keys were wet long enough for soap to do the job.
My sign calls for the piano user to wipe the keys before and after use with Clorox wipes and alcohol wipes, which were what we had available and could place in locations where they could be found (couldn't buy anything anywhere). I investigated and learned that Clorox wipes do not have a chlorine bleach agent, though they do have a couple compounds with a chloride, ie a "salt" of some kind. They seemed to be innocuous enough for the purpose.
But as Greg Graham pointed out, this was really more of a feel good effort than actually effective. The instructions on my signs saying to wash hands before and after were the most effective part, assuming they were followed. Bottom line, we can't guarantee anything. I do think it was a good idea to have all keyboards clean as a starting point.
The most likely source of contagion is probably airborne particles breathed in. Second most is hands which later touch surfaces that allow entrance into the body (eyes, nose, mouth).
I'm glad I won't be handling this in the fall. [It's strange retiring this way, just suddenly not going in the last six weeks, but I'm not complaining.]
Regards,
Fred Sturm
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." Twain