key: cord-1033286-u04k1cfe
authors: Chen, Yusha; Pradhan, Sushmita; Xue, Siliang
title: Novel role of plastic wrap in COVID-19.
date: 2020-06-06
journal: JAAD international
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdin.2020.06.001
sha: bf098c9239ec2c1c9963fbd166f2066a0300a448
doc_id: 1033286
cord_uid: u04k1cfe

The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading across the world rapidly and poses unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems around the world. It transmits primarily by the droplet route, though surface contact may play an important role as well.1 While people are aware of universal mask-wearing to reduce respiratory droplet transmission, contact transmission, particularly through the indirect contact transmission, is a hidden danger that is often overlooked. There are some sources of non-negligible routes for indirect contact in hospitals, such as the keyboard and elevator buttons often used daily by frontline health workers. However, it is difficult to disinfect these areas thoroughly due to their uneven surfaces. This constitutes a barrier to the precaution of contact transmission.

The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading across the world rapidly and poses unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems around the world. It transmits primarily by the droplet route, though surface contact may play an important role as well. 1 While people are aware of universal mask-wearing to reduce respiratory droplet transmission, contact transmission, particularly through the indirect contact transmission, is a hidden danger that is often overlooked. There are some sources of non-negligible routes for indirect contact in hospitals, such as the keyboard and elevator buttons often used daily by frontline health workers. However, it is difficult to disinfect these areas thoroughly due to their uneven surfaces. This constitutes a barrier to the precaution of contact transmission.

The transparent plastic wrap widely used in people's daily life is well-known for its excellent adhesion, low cost and lightweight properties. Here we propose a novel use of plastic wrap to cover the keyboard and elevator buttons that may help to reduce the indirect contact transmission of COVID-19 effectively. Through our practice, it fits the keyboard and elevator buttons well and does not affect their recognition and appearance. It can be replaced daily due to low cost and simplicity, and allows uneven surfaces to be cleansed. Further research is needed to understand whether the barrier properties of plastic wrap are impaired by the use of standard cleansers.

Modes of transmission of virus causing COVID-19: implications for IPC precaution recommendations

Plastic wrap on keyboard and elevator buttons