Supervision of cleaning surfaces as an auxiliary measure for the prevention of COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction. COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020. The possible routes of transmission of the virus are direct, derived from direct contact, and indirect, through contamination of inert surfaces. In 2022, prevention measures by the Guanajuato State Health Secretariat in educational institutions were; hand washing and disinfection in places of common use, healthy distance, among others. Adequate cleaning should reduce the chances of coronavirus transmission and, therefore, significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. Objective. Verify the cleanliness of different surfaces in an educational institution in Guanajuato through hygiene indicator microorganisms. Materials and Method. Non-experimental, longitudinal and prospective study. Microbiological monitoring was performed to verify the cleanliness of inert, living and environmental surfaces in four different areas. Sampling was performed randomly on commonly used surfaces for 10 weeks, using microbiological techniques established in Mexican standards for aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms, fungi and yeasts. Results. Most of the surfaces in the spaces assigned for sampling maintained the permitted limit for aerobic mesophilic bacteria, fungi and yeasts, although some exceeded the permitted limit in some weeks, and the total coliform count was absent in all weeks. Conclusions. During the return to school in 2022, the educational institution maintained adequate cleanliness on most surfaces; therefore, the measures recommended by the Ministry of Health were maintained during this period.