Overall, the notion of virucide differs from an antiviral drug such as Aciclovir, which inhibits the proliferation of the virus inside the body.
[4][5][6] CDC's Disinfection and Sterilization list of Chemical Disinfectants mentions and discusses substances such as: alcohol, chlorine and chlorine compounds, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, iodophors, ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), peracetic acid, peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide, phenolics, quaternary ammonium compounds, with different, but usually potent microbicidal activity.
[9][10][11][8] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a virucide is "An agent that kills viruses to make them noninfective.
[16][17] Note that the meaning of virus inactivation or viral clearance is specific for the medical process industry, i.e., to remove HIV from blood.
[45][46][47] Potential serious side-effects with using "quats" (Quaternary ammonium compounds) exist, and over-use "can have a negative impact on your customers' septic systems.
[53] On April 5, 2021, a Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials mentions that "Cleaning with household cleaners containing soap or detergent will physically remove germs from surfaces.
[63][62] In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, then-US President Donald Trump delivered a very dangerous message to the public on the use of disinfectants, which was immediately rejected and refuted by health professionals.
A mixture of 62–71% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite is found to be able to deactivate the novel Coronavirus on surfaces within 1 minute.
[71] A 2020 systematic review on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) mouth-washes concludes, that they don't have an effect on virucidal activity, recommending that "dental care protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic should be revised.
[73][69][74] Various information and overview of light-based strategies (UV-C and other types of light sources; see also Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic are available.
[80] The International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC) is one of the major umbrella organizations for education, research and development in the area of therapy of infections.