CEAC-2020-04-April

Q: How long does the COVID-19 remain
active on furnishings?
A: That also depends on what furnishings we are
talking about. Tests confirm that the COVID-19 virus
remains viable on the surface of objects for as little as 2
hours and for as long as 9 days. Metal, such as stainless
steel, seems to prolong the active life of the virus while
other surfaces, like wood, reduce that length of time.
Q: Can cats and/or dogs carry COVID-19?
A: While, just like humans, a dog or cat may “carry” COVID-19
embedded in its coat or upon its nose, there is no evidence
that they can become ill from the virus in the same manner as
humans, nor infect humans by spreading the virus through
their respiratory system. A pet owner who comes down with
the COVID-19 illness may like to cuddle with their furry
companion while they are confined at home. That furry
companion may then pick up bits of the virus from that
human, that then could be transmitted to another person or
animal with whom it comes into contact. Maintaining good
hygiene is therefore recommended whenever dealing with
animals. Wash your hands after petting. If you do contract the
COVID-19 virus, be aware that petting or interacting with your
household pet could make that pet a carrier of the virus, and
keep it away from uninfected humans and animals.
Source: New England Journal of Medicine
Q: How long should I plan for the
COVID-19 to be impacting my facility?
Q: Can COVID-19 be spread in pools, hot tubs
or water?
A: While some people have suggested the current
outbreak may pass in as little a time as one month, no
one really knows for sure. A good rule of thumb is to
plan for the worst and hope for the best. In this case,
planning for this crisis to last 6 months to a year is not
unreasonable.
A: According to the CDC, there is no evidence to date that
COVID-19 can be contracted from pools, hot tubs or drinking
water. Normal filtration and chemical treatment appear to be
sufficient in preventing transmission of the virus.
Q: Can a person who recovers from
COVID-19 become infected again?
A: At the moment, we don’t know. While some reports
have asserted this, the fact is that particles from a virus
can remain in the body for long periods of time and
thus produce a false positive on tests. More data will
have to become available before we can definitively
know the answer to this question.
Q: Is there a treatment for COVID-19?
A: No. Internet posts stating that various drugs such as
chloroquine phosphate have been found to be effective in
treating — or even curing — COVID-19 are not accurate. At
the time of this writing, the only known remedy for COVID-19
is the human immune system, which can be extremely effective
against the virus in people with unimpaired immune
systems.