Is A Home Cleaning Service Safe? Dr. Mallika Marshall Answers Your Coronavirus Questions
BOSTON (CBS) -- Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your coronavirus-related medical questions. If you have a question for Dr. Mallika, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.
"The CDC has recently stated that you do not contract COVID-19 from touching surfaces but through person to person contact. If that is the case, why are we still being told to wipe off all surfaces that someone may have touched?" -Doris from Woburn
The CDC said the predominant way the virus is transmitted is through person-to-person contact through respiratory droplets. However, there is still a possibility you could contract it by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your face. Not as risky as being in close contact with an infected person but still a possible mode of transmission.
"Our son comes to visit us each summer from Hong Kong. My husband is 73 and diabetic. Is it safe for him to come home? I know he would have to stay put for 2 weeks." -Peg
Given that your husband is at particularly high risk for COVID complications, it's probably not a great idea. Ideally, it would be great if he could get a coronavirus test before coming home but this may not be possible in Hong Kong or here in the U.S. I would give your personal physician a call for further advice.
"If I'm taking Tylenol and Aleve regularly for arthritis, what could it do to a test I may have for COVID 19 given the fact that both have antipyretic properties?" -Harold from Nova Scotia.
Taking Tylenol, Aleve, or other over-the-counter pain relievers should have no effect on the coronavirus test which looks for the presence of the virus in the rear nasal passages. These medications do reduce fever, so if you take them regularly, they could mask a fever but they won't change whether you test positive or negative for the virus.
"We've read a few articles on whether it is safe to have a cleaning service come to the home. What is your advice?" -David
I would say if you're older or have underlying medical conditions that put you at high risk of COVID complications, I would wait. But you can consider it if you're at low risk and you can be assured the cleaners will wear masks and gloves and you can keep a safe distance from them or even leave the house while they're there. But again, ask your personal physician for their advice.
