by Brianna Crandall — August 11, 2022 — The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA (the worldwide cleaning industry association), has just published an informational video that shares important information about the monkeypox virus and response tactics with the cleaning industry to help eradicate this disease. The cleaning industry will need to respond, as the United States has declared monkeypox a public health emergency and several states have gone a step further and declared a state of emergency. This will free up additional funding and resources to fight the disease.
The first monkeypox case was reported in the U.S. in May, and in less than 100 days, it has spread rapidly, and currently there are over 9,500 cases confirmed. Sexual transmission is contributing to this outbreak but not exclusively, as some people have caught the virus through face-to-face interactions with someone, or by touching a contaminated surface.
There are some reasonable precautions that people should take to avoid catching monkeypox. Cleaning professionals should be conducting risk assessments. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated “clean and disinfect the areas where people with monkeypox spent time.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a list of disinfectants for monkeypox called List Q Emerging Viral Pathogens. The U.S. Department of Labor has stated that employers must comply with OSHA’s standards on Bloodborne Pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030), Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (29 CFR 1910.132), Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134), and other requirements.
GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger stated:
Cleaning for health is extremely important with monkeypox, as it is a completely different virus than Covid-19 and is spread by bodily fluids. Transfer can happen from direct contact with an infected person and from any item the infected person has touched or used. Knowing this, a scalable response must be put into place, with more training, education and understanding of the risks involved.
GBAC environmental health and safety experts are continuously monitoring the monkeypox virus situation and will report on any changes or new information.
For more information about how the cleaning industry can help to eradicate monkeypox, watch the GBAC video: “How the Cleaning Industry Can Help to Eradicate Monkeypox.”
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response, and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial, and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address, and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, infectious disease and biological material response and remediation, the GBAC STAR Facility and Service Accreditation Programs.
