I hope someone will answer who might be more knowledgeable than I, but here's
my proverbial 2 cents.

Don't use any disinfectants on archival materials.  There is no need for it.
The coronavirus that causes SARS can only remain active ("alive") for just so
long on surfaces that it can't infect.  Viruses only propagate by invading
living cells and using their mechanisms to reproduce.  So no virus can
reproduce on anything that is not alive.  This means that you only need
isolate any arriving materials or those recently used by visitors.

My suggestion would be to get some plastic bags large enough to hold any
materials you might receive or that might be used during the SARS epidemic.
(Ziploc would be best up to the largest size, then large bags and tape for
sealing.) When materials come in, use barrier gear (gloves, face shield,
whatever your facility is prescribing for that) while placing them gently into
a plastic bag, seal them and put them aside as far as possible from where you
work.  If possible, seal the materials where there is a fume hood, expelling
air gently and directly into the exhaust fan--but only if you can determine
that the exhaust fan output is somehow sterilized.  It isn't known for sure
whether SARS is airborne rather than droplet-borne, but so far it is believed
to be droplet-borne, so this really shouldn't be a problem.  Another idea
would be to place a barrier such as a mask over a small area of the bag that
you are venting and gently expel the air from the bag through the barrier.  (I
would still vent the bag away from your face and in a seldom-used area.)  When
any materials are used in the archives, you would want to ask your visitor to
use full barrier gear to protect you, then isolate the used materials in the
same manner as if they'd come from the outside.

I'm not sure about the current estimate of how long SARS remains active on
surfaces.  It was 3 hours, and it's considerably lengthened now.  You may wish
to check the CDC site or ask your infection-control people.

But there is no need to "wipe down" archival materials as long as they can be
isolated from contact until the virus has become inactive.  Hospitals need to
wipe down surfaces because they continue to be used and can't be isolated from
human contact.  You don't have that problem with archival materials.

Arel Lucas
Lucas Information Services
Brantford, Ontario
(formerly a medical transcriptionist before Library School)
--------------
"Orchanian, Ani" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> This message is cross-posted.
>
> Hello! I am a one-person archives in a health care facility, and due to the
> SARS situation have not been able to open for researchers. I have been
given
> some guidelines for infection control procedures that must be put into
> place, but was wondering what the effect of some of these products might be
> on archival materials:
>
> CaviWipes (MSDS:
> http://metrex.com/TechInfo/msds/Canadian_MSDS/English/Cavicide%20(CAN).pdf)
> Virucides from Virox (MSDS:
> http://www.viroxtech.com/msds/pdf/accel/accel.pdf)
>
> While most of these products would be used to wipe down hands and equipment
> (such as computers and telephones), material being brought into the
archives
> (transfers) need to be disinfected too. I am concerned about "wiping down"
> transferred materials with these wipes.
>
> Also, do any other archives need to put any similar procedures in effect?
> i.e. do you wear masks when interacting with researchers? Do researchers
> have to be screened for SARS or other symptoms before being allowed entry
to
> the facility?
>
> Any help or insight into these matters would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks.
> _________________________________
> Ani Orchanian-Cheff
> Archivist
> University Health Network
> Princess Margaret Hospital 5-317
> 610 University Avenue
> Toronto, ON M5G 2M9
> Tel: 416-946-2081
> Fax: 416-946-2084
> Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
>
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