Expert shows how to kill Covid virus on used ATKs to prevent re-infection
Discarding used antigen test kits (ATKs) in household garbage can cause Covid-19 virus to spread, top virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan warned on Friday.
The Chulalongkorn University specialist noted that most buildings in Thailand have no proper system to separate and dispose of infectious waste, meaning used ATKs are often mixed in with other general household waste. However, the virus on used test kits can easily be neutralised with household chemicals, he added.
“If the used ATKs fall into canals or rivers, it could cause local water sources to be contaminated with the Covid-19 virus,” Yong said.
He urged people to dispose of test kits in the red-coloured infectious waste bags – even if the result is negative.
People should also kill the Covid-19 virus on the ATKs before disposal, he added.
“The most common chemical that can kill Covid-19 virus is alcohol. However, alcohol cannot kill certain viruses, including enterovirus which causes hand, foot and mouth disease and can be picked up by the ATKs during testing for Covid-19.”
Yong said that more effective chemicals for killing viruses are formalin, formaldehyde, and chlorine.
“These chemicals are not generally used in households, except for chlorine, which can be found in bathroom cleaning products in the form of sodium hypochlorite,” he said. “Therefore, if you do not have red bag for infectious waste, put a few drops of bathroom cleaner on the used ATK to kill the germs and wrap it up tightly before putting it in the garbage.”
“Don’t forget to wear gloves and a face mask and try not to inhale the chemical, which can irritate your respiration system,” Yong added.