COVID-19 Information

Overview

COVID-19 is the respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus that first emerged in December 2019. Since that time, COVID-19 has caused millions of deaths worldwide and the original virus has mutated resulting in different variations of the virus, including the delta and omicron variants. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continually monitors COVID-19 and provides comprehensive and timely updates.¹

Products for Use Against the COVID-19 Virus

A number of Clorox products have been approved by the EPA to kill SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, on hard, nonporous surfaces. Clorox products that are EPA-registered against SARS-CoV-2 are expected to kill all strains of SARS-CoV-2. See the first table below for CloroxPro products that are EPA-registered to kill SARS-CoV-2.

The EPA’s List N also includes disinfectants that have demonstrated efficacy against a pathogen that is more difficult to kill than SARS-CoV-2 or a human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2. See the second table below for CloroxPro products included on List N.

For more information, please refer to the CDC website.

To see a list of Clorox consumer products that are EPA-registered to kill SARS-CoV-2, please click here.

The “EPA expects all products on List N to kill all strains of SARS-CoV-2. Genetic changes to the virus do not impact the efficacy of disinfectants.” Read more.

COVID-19 Resources

As COVID-19 continues to spread, it’s critical that cleaning and healthcare professionals are equipped with knowledge and tools to help fight SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the disease. Please refer to the following resources for more information:

Educational Resources

Please see our most recent SARS-CoV-2 Educational Resources below. To view a full list of resources, click here.

• Six Building Blocks of a Robust Cleaning and Disinfection Program
• SARS-CoV-2 Education Sheet
• What is the “New Normal” of Cleaning & Disinfecting?
• Cleaning for Health & SMART Disinfecting

Educational Courses

Please see our most recent Educational Courses related to the COVID-19 virus below. To view a full list of courses, click here.

• Reopening Amid COVID-19: Answers to FAQs on Cleaning & Disinfecting
• Re-emerging from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Strategies for Patient and Healthcare Worker Safety During Challenging Times
• Infection Control Measures to Help Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care (Webinar)

Blog Posts

Please see some of our blog posts related to the COVID-19 virus below. To view a full list of blog posts, click here.

• COVID-19 From the Front Lines
• Disinfectant Efficacy Against New Varients of SARS-CoV-2
• Hygiene Theater or Hygiene Awareness? Looking Beyond COVID-19
• Strategies for Using Unfamiliar Disinfecting Product Formats During COVID-19

Basic Facts

What Are Coronaviruses?

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a family of enveloped virus that was first discovered in the 1960s. Coronaviruses are most commonly found in animals, including camels and bats, and are not typically transmitted between animals and humans. However some strains of coronavirus are known to be capable of transmission from animals to humans, the most well-known being SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus), responsible for a large outbreak in 2003, and MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus), responsible for an outbreak in 2012.²

What Are the Symptoms of COVID-19?

The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell. Symptoms may also be very mild and resemble the common cold. In addition, there are reports of asymptomatic infections and pre-symptomatic transmissions of COVID-19.³

How Is The COVID-19 Virus Spread?

The COVID-19 virus, like all coronaviruses, is typically spread through the air via coughing or sneezing, via contact with an infected person. People with COVID-19 may not exhibit symptoms, but are still able to transmit the virus to other people. It may also be transmitted from touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have originally spread from animals to humans, but person-to-person transmission is now occurring.⁴

According to the CDC, the virus that causes COVID-19 is constantly changing, and new variants of the virus are expected to occur. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear, while other times, new variants persist.

Why Are Human Coronaviruses and Particularly SARS-CoV-2 a Concern?

SARS-CoV-2 is spreading quickly from person to person leading to widespread outbreaks globally. As with most emerging viruses, the risk depends on a number of factors, including ease of transmission, severity of symptoms and prevention and treatment options available. In the case of COVID-19, the possibility of asymptomatic transmission poses a challenge to containment strategies. There is also neither a vaccine or specific treatment.

Infection Control Measures

The CDC provides useful guidance and resources relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, including infection control measures. These should all be implemented when patients are suspected of being infected with a coronavirus.⁵

• Hand hygiene: Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette: Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Avoid contact with infected individuals, as possible.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects with an EPA-registered disinfectant approved for use against SARS-CoV-2.
• The CDC recommends that individuals confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19 should wear a mask, and healthcare workers should use eye protection. Both contact and airborne precautions should be implemented in addition to standard precautions.