Sanitisation contravenes CDC and WHO guidelines - public health expert
Public health expert Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman has joined in the chorus of experts questioning the wisdom and efficacy of carrying out sanitisation operations.
This follows a recent event where both Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department director-general Hamdan Wahid defended the ongoing public sanitisation exercise at a press conference over the weekend...
Public health expert Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman has joined in the chorus of experts questioning the wisdom and efficacy of carrying out sanitisation operations.
This follows a recent event where both Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department director-general Hamdan Wahid defended the ongoing public sanitisation exercise at a press conference over the weekend.
"In the press conference, Hamdan said the public sanitation operation under the ministry and coordinated by Bomba Malaysia was made based on the recommendations of WHO (World Health Organisation) and CDC-Atlanta (United States Center for Infectious Diseases).
"I wonder, which CDC and WHO documents did he mean?" asked Lokman who is a professor of public health at the International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur.
Lokman said he checked the latest CDC guidelines under the heading "Cleaning and disinfecting your facility" dated April 5, 2021, which states:
Outdoor areas
- Spraying cleaning products or disinfectants in outdoor areas - such as on sidewalks, roads, or groundcover - is not necessary, effective, or recommended.
- High-touch surfaces made of plastic or metal, such as grab bars, play structures, and railings, should be cleaned regularly.
- Cleaning and disinfection of wooden surfaces (such as wood play structures, benches, tables) or groundcovers (such as mulch and sand) are not recommended.”
Lokman added that this was also completely contrary to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the ministry last July.
"So, which CDC guidelines does KP Bomba mean?" he asked.
Lokman said he did not find WHO sanitisation guidelines concerning "road shoulder up to the exterior walls of buildings/premises or fences that include street furniture such as signs, curbside, guard rail including lampposts, traffic lights and cover public places open or public visit locations such as footpaths, bridges, public parks, playgrounds, public markets, public facilities, public transport hubs as well as in solid waste bin centres".
"In fact, as far as I know, the WHO Provisional Guidelines entitled 'Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in the context of Covid-19' dated May 15, 2020, clearly states 'spraying or fogging of certain chemicals such as formaldehyde, chlorine-based agent, or quaternary ammonium, is not recommended due to adverse health effects...'"
He said he was compelled to defend Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, who has just been appointed by WHO to the WHO Science Council, the highest body of WHO scientific leadership, as she was among the first to question the efficiency of public sanitation activities by the government.
Following the press conference, Adeeba pointed out that the CDC had since April updated its guidelines to advise against large-scale sanitisation exercises as a Covid-19 prevention measure.
She said the large-scale exercise was a waste of limited resources that could be better used to purchase other equipment needed in the war against Covid-19.
Contrary to the ongoing exercise which targets open premises, including public markets, the CDC updated guidelines stated that disinfection is recommended in smaller indoor settings where there has been a suspected or confirmed case within the last 24 hours.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Amar Singh HSS also shared additional excerpts from the CDC guidelines which stated that large-scale spraying or fumigation for the Covid-19 virus, or other pathogens, is not recommended in outdoor spaces.
Both Adeeba and Amar retweeted Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh's message criticising Zuraida for allegedly being stubborn in refusing to listen to advice by medical practitioners.
The latest round of nationwide sanitisation exercise identified 284 locations, mostly in Selangor, while it was reported that the Housing and Local Government Ministry, through the Fire and Rescue Department, had completed more than 25,000 operations since last March.
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