Disinfection booths in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.
Mouna Jameleddine Chtioui, Nabil Harzallah, Marie Christine Odabachian Jebali, Hela Grati, Mansour Njeh, L Dhidah, Nizar Laadhari, Chokri Hamouda
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Industries have made claims on the effectiveness of a disinfection procedure in reducing COVID-19 transmission. This procedure is usually performed by automated dispersion of disinfectant on individuals when they go through a booth. This Health Technology Assessment (HTA) report is a systematic review that synthesizes the evidence on the efficacy and safety of using these booths and provides recommendations to the Ministry of Health to facilitate decision-making regarding the relevance of using this technology. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed using Pubmed, Web of Science, INAHTA and GIN databases, from inception to June 4, 2020. Three independent reviewers selected eligible studies then extracted and synthesized the evidence. The synthesis was submitted to a multidisciplinary group of experts to provide recommendations. RESULTS: Two scientific papers and a Malaysian HTA report were included in data synthesis. In light of the resources consulted, spraying disinfectants on humans in booths is not effective and can be toxic. Disinfectants are intended for use on surfaces, not on living tissue and spraying disinfectants on the outside of the body does not kill the virus inside an infected person's body. Furthermore, this procedure may increase the risk of neglecting other effective measures. CONCLUSION: It is recommended to prohibit the use of disinfection booths in all structures.