Dr. Rakesh Thusoo
COVID-19 originated in Wuhan city of China and spread worldwide in less than six months infecting 6.5 million people and killing 3,83,000 till first week of June 2020. The most worrisome problem about the emerging infectious diseases is the way it adversely affects the respiratory system especially lungs in the human body. Unlike other viral diseases like Zika andHuman Influenzas, the coronavirus is deadly in terms of transmission and mortality. Human influenzas have a death rate of 0.1%, where zika is only transmitted via very close contact with the infected. Corona Virus has passed these limitations. Such is the fear of getting infected that people ingested liquid disinfectants to “kill” the virus. The paranoia does not stop here, it is just the beginning. The main stress of the Central Government has been to maintain social distancing. The main purpose of this advisory was to break the chain and kill the virus in the bodies of the carriers and infected, that is what necessitated the initial lockdowns and creation of containment zones. But then it won’t be wise to clamp down the economy forever, limited restart or reboot of the pre-pandemic activities is warranted but the opening up has to be a guarded and cautious effort as the increasein numbers of those getting infected is alarming, the movement of commuters especially migrant workers being one of the chief reasons to carry the virus far and deep.
My concern here is not the ever-growing numbers of patients or asymptomatic carriers, but the containment related anxiety. Everyone is washing hands multiple times a day, besides of sanitizing the house/business and offices, even carrying a sanitizer in pockets and bags. Certain institutions and business establishments have purchased the sanitation tunnels, where a person passes through it and gets disinfected. Paradoxically, our Prime minister Narendra Modi had launched Mass sanitation programs like “Swatch Bharat Abhiyan” and it was like dream come true, looking at people maintaining bodily hygiene and clean surroundings. So far, so good, but then where is the problem and why I am concerned? It stems from the fact that people are over-enthusiastic and excited to use the disinfectants on self and environment, without realizing the fact that over and undue use may give rise to dermatological issues, eye contamination and also disturb the ecological balance, killing hundreds of organisms and destroying our flora and fauna. These chemicals are harmful to pregnant women and may affect the fetus as well. Such is the paranoia that people sanitize food products like fruits and vegetables before consumption.
Humans have always been selfish. In one way, we are happy to see the rejuvenation of our water bodies especially Ganga and Yumana, drop in air pollution across the country and clearing of toxic particulate matter from our environment and on other hand, we are polluting it with chemicals and disinfectants, albeit at a higher rate. One of the questions, which you must be wondering is regarding the importance and efficacy of these chemical disinfectants. No doubt, that we must clean our hands and sanitize our surroundings, but caution is needed to avoid unnecessary usage. Too much use of chemical sprays won’t help in the “extra” killing of the virus, but it can be deleterious to the patients suffering from respiratory illness, allergies, and skin disorders. The chemicals once inhaled can cause respiratory distress and even death. The long-term effect of chemicals will be probably seen in a few years from now.
Coming back to the concern regarding the devastating effect on flora and fauna, it is important to know the concept of the microbiota. Our body both externally and internally hosts a lot of viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Together, they make a commensal relationship in our bodies. The role of this microbiota is to program the immune system, provide the nutrients to our cells, prevent harmful bacteria and viruses to create colonies in our body. The microbiome is typically inherited from mother and is also acquired from surrounding during the lifetime.
Colostrum and breast milk contain live microbes, metabolites, immune cells,and cytokines and synergize to shape the breast-fed infant microbiota and the response of the host to these microbes.
The term “holobiont” has been coined to reflect the symbiotic relationship between the human body and microbes. The gut microbiome research has suggested the role of “good” microbes in diseases like diabetes, autism, and anxiety. The Nobel Prize recognizes Allison’s research work with T-cells, which are called the “soldiers” of the immune system which fight diseases like cancer and infections related to bacteria and viruses.
Social-economic factors in the last previous three decades proved devastating for the human bodies with the unregulated use of antibiotics, which killed the symbiotic relationship between the host and microbes and is the foremost reason for the rapid development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in present generations.A similar situation is going to arise from an unregulated and non-scientific way of the use of chemical disinfectants. Looking at the list of disinfectants, approved by Government of India are sodium hypochlorite or phenolic disinfectants, Chloroxylenol (4.5-5.5%)/ Benzalkonium Chloride. The mixing of liquid bleach with other cleaning products, such as acids or ammonia, may produce toxic fumes.Sodium hypochlorite results in the formation of chlorinated organic compounds, which are known carcinogens, and can be absorbed by organisms and enter the food chain. These disinfectants have been found to kill small insects, destroy their larvae, and excessive use of these chemicals leech into the soil and potentially contaminate the groundwater. All of these factors are enough to disrupt the microbiota and eventually affect our immune system. It is the same immune system, which is used to fight viral infections like COVID-19. So, the questions arise, how to kill the curiosity without jeopardizing the health in this pandemic time. The answer is simple. There is no need to be overprotective by disinfecting your house manytimes a day if you stay home and have no visitors. School, colleges, multiplexes, theatres, and religious places which have been closed by the government need not be sanitized. Only after the opening of these institutions and visitors, there is a need to disinfect by maintaining a standard operating protocol. Airports, railways stations, quarantine centers are visited by thousands of travellers every day and need to besanitized extensively. Office spaces, including conference rooms, should be cleaned every evening after office hours or early in the morning before the rooms are occupied. All indoor areas such as entrance lobbies, corridors, and staircases, escalators, elevators, security guard booths, office rooms, meeting rooms, cafeteria should be cleaned with 1% sodium hypochlorite or phenolic disinfectants. Masks should invariably be used once venturing outside the home. Besides, places like forests and parks, plants, trees and roads which are rarely used, should be spared for now.
A balance has to be set between caution and enthusiasm. Print and electronic media have to regularly create awareness that”too much of care may kill the cat”. Covid-19 is a fatal infectious virus that can be kept away by social distancing and simple clean surroundings. The need of the hour is to use plant-based disinfectants and invest in making environmental friendly bio-disinfectants, which are less corrosive and safe. Being obsessive towards the corona will only bring anxiety but simple habits adapted and assimilated in lifestyle can protect us and the environment as well.
(The author is faculty and Principal Coordinator of ICMR-CAR, School of Biotechnology, SMVDU, Katra.)
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