At the forefront of every healthcare worker’s mind these days are all the new risks posed by COVID-19. It is easy to feel like COVID-19 is an insurmountable disease which requires a major shift in how we think about high-level disinfection. In light of this new challenge, can facilities continue to rely on the same high-level disinfectants they used before COVID-19, like TD-5® and TD-8®?
For starters, TD-5 is a single-use, 2.65% glutaraldehyde based disinfectant while TD-8 is a single-use, 0.59% Ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) based disinfectant. Both these products have been cleared for use as high-level disinfectants by the FDA. In order to have been cleared by the FDA, both TD-5 and TD-8's effectiveness were tested against various kinds of bacteria, fungi, spores, and viruses. When used in CS Medical’s TEEClean® Automated TEE Probe Cleaner Disinfector or TD 100® Automated TEE Probe Disinfector, both TD-5 and TD-8 were proven to kill these microorganisms. So while TD-5 and TD-8 have not been specifically tested against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), they have been tested against other, harder to inactivate viruses and proven effective.
Given the obstacles posed by COVID-19, your facility should certainly continue to implement best practices, like CS Medical’s 10-Step TEE Complete Care Process, in order to supplement the efficacy of TD-5 and TD-8 before and after high-level disinfection. After all, if a perfectly high-level disinfected TEE probe is mishandled after disinfection, it could become contaminated and contribute to the spread of COVID-19 or other HAIs. Ensure that your facility is following the guidelines set out by your infection preventionists at all times during the high-level disinfection process.
Fortunately, while COVID-19 is presenting the world with all sorts of new and difficult hurdles, high-level disinfection is one constant that can remain the same. TD-5 and TD-8 are just as effective against SARS-CoV-2 as they are against any other microorganism. Additionally, since they both come in single-use bottles, they ensure maximum potency and effectiveness whenever high-level disinfecting your facility’s TEE ultrasound probes. This will help your facility maintain its goal of stopping the spread of COVID-19 and contribute to the worldwide effort to stop this pandemic in its tracks.
