The Environmental Protection Agency has approved two products -- both made by Lysol -- to use to disinfect spaces against COVID-19.
According to a news release from the EPA, the products, Lysol Disinfectant Spray (EPA Reg No. 777-99) and Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist (EPA Reg No. 777-127), were approved last week.
The approval was made based on laboratory testing that showed the products were effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Upon being tested according to EPA guidelines, the sprays were "found to kill the virus at 2 minutes of use," Lysol said in a news release.
“EPA is committed to identifying new tools and providing accurate and up-to-date information to help the American public protect themselves and their families from the novel coronavirus,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement.
“The EPA's approval recognizes that using Lysol Disinfectant Spray can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on hard, non-porous surfaces,” Rahul Kadyan, an executive at Reckitt Benckiser, the manufacturer of Lysol, said in a statement. “In the face of the pandemic, Lysol continues to work with a wide range of scientific and health experts to educate the public on the importance of hygiene.”
The listing may not immediately help consumers, however. A number of popular disinfectant products, including those under the Lysol brand, remain in low stock -- if not out of stock -- in stores as manufacturers work to keep up with demand.
"Given the rapid spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the US, our top priority at this time is increasing our production to help curb the spread of illness," RB says on the FAQs on the Lysol website. "We are experiencing unprecedented and accelerated demand for our Lysol products, and this demand is clearly having an impact on store inventory levels. Our teams are actively working around the clock to increase production and delivery to our retailers, with the goal to maximize access to our products."
RB added that stock of product “will vary day by day.”
“We advise you to ask your retailer when they will be receiving their next shipments,” the FAQ said. “We ask that consumers purchase only what they need so that everyone can work together to stop the spread.”
The EPA has previously provided a searchable list of products for use against COVID-19. The items on the list meet the EPA's criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to the agency website. The two Lysol products are included on the list.
Some other products that are also on the list are Scrubbing Bubbles Multi-Purpose Disinfectant (EPA Reg No. 4822-548); Arm & Hammer Essentials Disinfecting Wipes (EPA Reg No. 95337-1); Windex Disinfectant Cleaner (EPA Reg No. 4822-593); and Comet Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner (EPA Reg No. 3573-54).
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