‘Focused sanitisation helps, spraying roads not useful’

Noida: Large-scale sanitisation drives under which buildings and roads are sprayed with disinfectants are not useful to check the spread of infection, experts have said. Instead, such exercises should be target-oriented and focus should be on following Covid protocols.
“In view of current evidence, sanitisation exercise on a large scale, like sanitisation of entire buildings, serves no purpose. It means waste of resources, manpower and energy. Such measures also distract people from the core issues,” said assistant professor Dr Yudhyavir Singh, who is managing the Covid ICU at AIIMS, New Delhi. He added that authorities should instead focus on isolation facilities, availability of oxygen and hospital beds.
Officials should ensure social distancing norms are followed, people wear masks properly and maintain hand hygiene, he added.
“If there is an infected person, areas she/he uses can be sanitised. Common spaces like elevators, washrooms and dining areas can be sanitised frequently,” he said. “Ventilation is an issue in many places. In offices, shops and other establishments, windows should be kept open when possible and AC ducts and filters should be cleaned,” he said.
For almost a year, civic authorities in Gautam Budh Nagar have been spraying roads, parks, market areas and buildings on a regular basis. The fire department has also been brought in and hydraulic stairs are being used to sanitise highrises. The authorities have spent over Rs 2 crore to procure sanitisation material like sodium hypochlorite solution and disinfectants, sources said.
Dr DK Gupta, chairman, Felix Hospital, said: “Sanitisation needs to be target-oriented. High-risk areas like hospitals, markets and common spaces in offices should be sanitised regularly. In societies, elevators and homes of Covid patients should be sanitised. Spraying buildings and roads is of no use.”
Asked about the drive, Narendra Bhooshan, CEO, Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, and the nodal officer for Covid response in GB Nagar, said: “Last year, an advisory was issued by the government regarding sanitisation by using sodium hypochlorite solution. We are acting according to that. But we can discuss the issue and come up with a revised strategy if needed.”