CDC Makes Astonishing Change to COVID Guidance a Year into Pandemic

At the very onset of this lengthy pandemic, there was some serious confusion about exactly what we were dealing with when it came to COVID-19.  This was a virus that we hadn’t seen before and, to make matters worse, China had severely downplayed the severity of the situation, leading global health experts astray at an extremely crucial time.

So, as we adjusted to the pandemic life, we were given a number of conflicting accounts of how best to protect ourselves and our loved ones from getting sick.  These undulating overtures often undermined the faith that the nation had in the CDC, who appeared to be just making it up as they went along.

Now, 13 months in, they’ve revised their guidance on the use of disinfectants in regard to the virus, and to a shocking degree.

If you are still stocking up on disinfectant wipes for your home, you may not need to do so anymore. The CDC has released new guidelines on what’s needed to get rid of coronavirus on surfaces.

Now that more research has been done, the CDC says plain soap and water is enough to clean most household surfaces

In the beginning of the pandemic, people were going so far as wiping down groceries with disinfectant. The wipes became difficult to find and stores limited how many you could buy.

But new guidance based on the latest research shows the risk of being infected by a contaminated surface is low.

The language used was quite clear.

“In most situations, regular cleaning of surfaces with soap and water or detergent, not disinfectant, is enough to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread. Disinfection is only recommended in indoor settings such as home or school when there has been a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 within in the last 24 hours,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC.

The CDC also noted that the fumigation-style disinfecting of establishments like sporting arenas is not only not necessary, but poses secondary health concerns that make it riskier than not using disinfectant at all.