Disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic: a challenge

M Eggers, A Baumann, N Lilienthal, E Steinmann, J Steinmann, N Hübner, HF Rabenau, V Weinheimer

Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz . 2022 Jan;65(1):86-95. doi: 10.1007/s00103-021-03457-z. Epub 2021 Dec 8.

Disinfection measures have become more important as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. The increased need for disinfectants at the beginning of the pandemic required temporary legal regulations in order to provide a sufficient quantity of products for the necessary disinfection in the medical sector on the one hand and for the additional demand in the population on the other. For this purpose, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) issued a general ruling, which is explained in more detail in this article. The focus was on measures for hygienic hand disinfection. However, other applications such as surface disinfection in relation to pandemic respiratory diseases are also addressed. The experience gained in ensuring the supply of disinfectants that are effective and safe to use should be used to prepare for further pandemics.