Five members of the U.S. House of Representatives who are also dentists are urging the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to address a shortage of disinfectants and are asking for guidance that would help clinicians know what to do when these products aren't available, the ADA reported.
Sales of aerosol disinfectants are up by 520% and multipurpose cleaners by 250% due to the pandemic, and manufacturers are struggling to meet demand, wrote Reps. Dr. Brian Babin (R-TX), Dr. Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Dr. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Dr. Mike Simpson (R-ID), and Dr. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ). In their letter, they asked the CDC to investigate the feasibility of using surface disinfectants that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is allowing for temporary emergency use.
"We urge the CDC to develop guidance to help clinicians know what to do when surface disinfectants are not readily available," the representatives wrote. "And we hope such guidance will address whether and how surface disinfectants that the EPA is allowing for temporary emergency use can be leveraged in [healthcare] settings."
