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Comment by djrogers | Hacker News Reader

> Research shows that a previous coronavirus infection plus one dose of vaccine provides powerful protection — but concerns linger

This is one thing that’s been incredibly frustrating throughout this whole pandemic. Studies and research will show B, with no sign of A, however inertia/politics/fear/ignorance will continue to push A to the point of harm.

An example - a local store was insisting on wiping down the entire checkout conveyor with alcohol between every single customer until very recently, when we’ve know for a long time that you won’t get COVID from that.

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> a local store was insisting on wiping down the entire checkout conveyor with alcohol between every single customer until very recently, when we’ve know for a long time that you won’t get COVID from that.

As someone from a country where running orders are still to disinfect often-touched surfaces (switches, door handles, office desks, etc.) I was surprised by this.

I went to check what CDC from US recommends. It turns out it's pretty much the same:

> Clean high touch surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

(from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-si...)

So maybe wiping down the belt between every customer is a bit excessive, but it seems my sources don't agree with the "you don't get COVID from that" part.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4

Cleaning for an airborne illness is just theater. Upgrading air handlers, increasing airflow, and spacing people further apart matter. Cleaning stuff randomly just makes people feel better (but can make good business sense because of this!)

yes, cleaning surfaces regularly (but not excessively) is good for a variety of reasons, but not for covid. the airflow concern is also overblown though. you really just need modest distancing indoors (or masks, absent modest distancing). no need for fancy airflow handling. covid isn't a robust virus that, as it's tiny water-bubble craft rapidly evaporates, quickly falls apart outside the body (similar to why surfaces aren't a concern).

Yes it can make good business sense, but for those who know it's just theatre it certainly won't work.

But it's really hard to stop it when the mantra is "Better safe than sorry".

As vaccines grow in numbers and we have solid information like the one linked here, i have faith that we can return to doing things we know work.

> Clean high touch surfaces daily.

A checkout belt isn't even close to a 'high-touch' surface - I don't think I've ever touched one, and neither do the checkers. And the difference between 'daily' and 4-500x daily is dramatic.

Security theatre.

It’s about feeling safe, not about being safe.

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