I plan on cleaning goggles with bleach and water. I'm going to buy several spray bottles and fill them with bleach and water.  You're supposed to let the solution sit on whatever surface your cleaning for 2 minutes, then wipe clean.

As far as shoes go, they will not be allowed in the house. I will put down a mat in the garage just for shoes. And we will wear latex gloves when putting them on, and taking them off. I will clean them with the spray bottles, too (daily)

Masks, if you are wearing one to work then dispose it when you get home.  I will wear one everytime I let my dog out to go to the bathroom.  I will keep this mask for a few days at a time, as long as nobody comes around when I'm actually letting the dog out. 

hi,

do you know of any UK sites where i can buy protective hair and ear things and covers for footwear? and what about disposable clothes coverings?

i have a garage separate to my house but couldnt really take off all my clothes b4 coming in the house as when i come out of the garage i have to walk along my strret (public) 4 yeards.

And doesnt bleach make your clothes faded and patchy unless on white garments?

regarding disinfecting whole area you walk through upon entering house,do you include walls and doors and skirting boards?

you say to wear a mask again when back inside your home-how long is the "incubation period" you mentioned?

should one keep all windows closed as well?

is it safe to go in your garden unprotected?

thanks for the further advice.

when you say regular chlorine bleach,do you mean the type we use in th house for disinfecting things? As the only bleach i've ever bought always smells.I guess i should ask a pharmacist,they could advise on a UK brand that will do what you advise.

I will search google,thanks for your offer of help.

Good idea about the sheets.

god,I have so many things to buy :( 

I'm setting up a portion of my detached garage as a sick room, quarantine room also. Everything is easily scrubbable, just spray it down.

Hi RotroShaggy,

Either 1/2 strength bleach or alcohol are fine. The virus is fragile and needs a comfy spot to live for more than a hour or so.

Here is an excerpt from an EPA article about Avian Flu Disinfectants.

---------------------------------------

Antimicrobial Products to Disinfect Poultry and Other Facilities Against Avian (Bird) Flu

Poultry farmers in the U.S. are watching the spread of avian influenza in Asia and Europe. This Web page provides information about disinfectants that are available to help prevent the spread of this disease in this country. Avian influenza, which is sometimes called bird flu, is an infection that occurs naturally in birds. It is caused by influenza (flu) viruses. The viruses are found chiefly in birds. Infections with these viruses can occur in humans but the risk from avian influenza is generally low to most people, because the viruses do not usually infect humans. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been more than 100 confirmed human cases reported in Asia and Europe since 1997. The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains a cumulative list of these cases.

Further, according to CDC, if there is an outbreak of avian influenza among poultry, "there is a possible risk to people who have direct or close contact with infected birds or with surfaces that have been contaminated with secretions and excretions from infected birds."

EPA registers pesticide products, including disinfectants. Currently, more than 90 disinfectant products are registered and intended for use against avian influenza A viruses on hard, non-porous surfaces. These products are typically used by the poultry industry to disinfect their facilities. Typical sites listed on these product labels include: veterinary premises, poultry houses, farm premises and equipment, and other industrial and institutional settings. The label will indicate that the product is effective against "avian influenza A." (For more information on how EPA regulates pesticide products, including disinfectants, see Registering Pesticides.)

Although there are no antimicrobial products registered specifically against the H5N1 subtype of avian influenza A virus, EPA believes that the currently registered avian influenza A products will be effective against the H5N1 strain and other strains.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides guidance for the disinfection of poultry facilities. See USDA's Sanitation Performance Standards Compliance Guide, Sec. 381.58-381.60 for the guidelines.

Related Links

Pandemicflu.gov - This is the official U.S. government Web site for information on pandemic flu and avian influenza.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) - US Department of Agriculture's link to assist in managing citizens' concerns about avian flu; also available is USDA's 24/7 food safety virtual representative tool, which is regularly updated on this topic. For those without web access, consumers can call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).

Pandemic Influenza: Worldwide Preparedness - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) site contains comprehensive, up-to-date information on all aspects of pandemic, avian, and seasonal flu.

Avian Influenza (AI): A Threat to U.S. Poultry - The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is responsible for protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, administering the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. The site describes avian flu viruses which affect poultry, either low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI) based on the severity of the illnesses they cause, among other information.

Avian Influenza - The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger, serving both developed and developing countries. The site contains specific information on disinfectants and procedures to use against avian flu, noting that soapy water and detergents are often the first choice. See the site for a detailed chart of items to be disinfected and procedures.

Ten things you need to know about pandemic influenza and Avian influenza - The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations specialized agency for health, provides detailed information on numerous aspects of pandemic influenza and avian flu worldwide.

Avian Influenza: Protecting Flocks, Protecting People - The site is a joint project of the National Chicken Council (NCC), National Turkey Federation (NTF), and Egg Safety Center (ESC); it addresses public concern about avian flu and contamination from poultry.

EPA registers pesticide products, including disinfectants. Currently, more than 90 disinfectant products are registered and intended for use against avian influenza A viruses on hard, non-porous surfaces. These products are typically used by the poultry industry to disinfect their facilities. Typical sites listed on these product labels include: veterinary premises, poultry houses, farm premises and equipment, and other industrial and institutional settings. The label will indicate that the product is effective against "avian influenza A." (For more information on how EPA regulates pesticide products, including disinfectants, see Registering Pesticides.)

Although there are no antimicrobial products registered specifically against the H5N1 subtype of avian influenza A virus, EPA believes that the currently registered avian influenza A products will be effective against the H5N1 strain and other strains.

Full story at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/avian.htm

Instructions for destroying influenza A (H2N2) samples

Laboratories have been advised to immediately destroy and treat as potentially infectious and hazardous all materials retained or derived from the influenza A (H2N2) proficiency testing panels created by Meridian Bioscience and sent out by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the American Association of Bioanalysts, the American Academy of Family Physicians, or the American College of Physician Services.

These materials may be destroyed by autoclave, incineration, or chemical disinfection

To autoclave:

• Autoclave with moist heat at 121 degrees C (15-19 pounds of pressure) for at least 20 minutes or
• Autoclave with dry heat at 170 degrees C for 1 hour or 160 degrees C for 2 hours or 121 degrees C for at least 16 hours.

To chemically disinfect:

Any of the following liquid disinfectants can also be used to destroy the virus; however, with the exception of the alcohols, these should not be used with autoclaving due to the chemical fumes that would result. The length of exposure time required to kill the virus depends on the disinfectant used, but overnight exposure would be adequate for all of them.

• 200 ppm fresh sodium hypochlorite (a freshly made 1:10 dilution of household bleach should provide this level of free chlorine)
• 60%-95% ethanol or isopropryl alcohol
• 5% phenol
• 3% lysol

Other agents that may be used but that have toxic or irritant properties include

• 5-8% formalin
• 2% alkaline glutaraldehyde

We were always told to wipe the house down with this solution during SARS

Thanks Fla

OK, I'm sorry to be really dense here but Doug posted half strength bleach so that means 1 cup bleach to 1 cup water. And then Fal-med wrote 1:10 dilution so that means 1 cup bleach to 10 cups water. Am I missing something............I'm confused on this? And do you mean we should spray this liquid on all fabric furniture, windows & treatments, walls, floors, carpeting, ceiling......how do you bleach "entire area of your house"??? OMG, what a job!!  And we should have a plastic tarp over the entree door from the garage to the house and then (I have my laundry rm there) so I should have another tarp over that door that leads to the kitchen? Three quarters of the way sealed to impeed air flow, is that right? And the person would come into the house this route....naked and jump into the shower. Which in my house is no where near the garage or the kitchen. (Gulp!) I had a thought one of those mylar space blankets ($1.99) would come in very handy right about there to run through house in - it is 20 something degrees here at times lately, but then that would need to be disposed of as contaminated waste as well (in a ziploc) and a towel & fresh clothes and mask laid out for the returning individual in the bathroom used to shower in. And I guess fresh bleach is any bleach that is less than 6 months old. Is that right??

Oh and Rocky, I ordered from allheart.com some clogs (unisex) that they have for $10+/- that are made of rubber, the whole clog, so you could bleach it or maybe boil it, or certainly soap it up, lysol it and rinse off with scalding hot water. I first thought these would be good to walk my dogs in cause easy to disinfect but now I think I will make dog poo area in garage (I'll need newspaper) and use these in possible infected situations b/c no ties to bother with just slip in & slip out. I did order 2 more prs for hubby and son and they have not arrived so maybe a local med uniform supply store co. or website would have them in stock.

I do not plan on going out in middle of pandemic but same procedure needs to be followed for care of sick person or if you let a new person enter your "clean" house.

Oh, and help me with the 3% lysol Fla-Medic..PLEASE!! What does 3% mean? none of the active ingredients are in 3% strength. For sanitization the botttle says (on non-food contact surfaces only)use full strength or 2.2oz per gallon of warm water. That is the most rediculous thing I've ever heard! How can both of these sanitize and who has a devise for measuring 2.2 oz.? Is that like a shot glass per gallon? For BF I think I'll stick to full strength I guess but how could both of those be for sanitizing? Maybe I'll call lysol tomarrow. The active ingredients make up less than 2% of the bottled product as it is and I should dilute it so much more? Makes no sense to me.

Someone help......anybody there.....please?

Truly, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

ps. Country girl, I really like your greenhouse idea! Thank you for the info. :>} Can't afford it this week but maybe next week or the week after that probably. At least it would be easy to spray that baby down!! :>} This is all alot to take in. :>{  G-night all.

Question:

Can the bleach be any brand of bleach or does it have to be CLOROX? Is there a percentage of bleach in different brands?
The reason I ask is that a friend of mine was saying that the only bleach recommended was Clorox. Is this just a marketing ploy?

shelad1~ I found this info. Hope it helps.

Here's the link for it but I'll copy the wording below. http://www.wvdhhr.org/wvimw/bleach.asp

Guidelines for Proper Dilution of Bleach for Disinfecting
 

When using bleach as a disinfectant, a fresh solution must be made each day.

 

For routine cleaning/disinfecting of normal surfaces that are not grossly contaminated a

1:100 solution of bleach is recommended.

add 1/4 Cup of household bleach to 1 gallon of water, or
1 Tablespoon per 1 Pint of Water.

 

To clean up a large volume of infectious fluids, such as during an infectious medical waste spill, a

1:10 solution of bleach to water should be used.

add 1.5 Cups of household bleach to 1 gallon of water, or
1/3 Cup per 1 Pint of Water.

 

Regular household bleach contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). 

If the product you are using has less than 5.25%, you will need to add more bleach. 
If the product has less than 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, you will not need to add as much bleach. 

For specific information on proper dilution of products that contain more or less that 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, see the product instructions or contact the manufacturer.