Lysol can help stop spread of new coronavirus strain

 The front of a Lysol can says, “Kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.” The back provides a list of viruses the chemical can wipe out, including influenza, E. coli, and human coronavirus.

But is the product effective in killing the new strain of coronavirus that’s been spreading since the beginning of 2020? The short answer is “most likely.”

According to the CDC, the human coronavirus has been around since the 1960s, and there’s at least 7 different strains, six of which can be killed on hard surfaces with Lysol products, but the new strain, COVID-19, hasn’t undergone EPA testing yet.

This week, the American Chemistry Council and Center For Biocide Chemistries released a list of more than 100 disinfectants that may help kill novel coronavirus on surfaces, including Lysol, Clorox, and Purell products. They said all those products have also been proven effective in killing pathogens like ebola and norovirus.

Dr. Jeff Stephens at Navicent Health says:

“As with the flu and other viruses, the most important thing for people to remember is basic hygiene. People should frequently wash their hands or use hand sanitizer, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to use anti-microbial household cleaning products.”

So yes, we verified Lysol and other disinfectants may help stop the spread of coronavirus, but right now, there’s no proof that it can kill it.