MNN - Mother Nature Network

in environments where germs threaten people’s health. Our Moms Against Cooties campaign is aimed at moms because of their concern for keeping children healthy. This campaign was not designed by any means to have a “scare-tactic” effect, and in fact was created to promote proper disinfection techniques using bleach as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/childcaresettings.htm) and many states. Appropriate disinfection does not mean overuse of bleach. In fact, the WQ&HC conducted a survey this past holiday season and found that 47% of respondents over-estimated the amount of bleach needed to kill common germs (http://www.disinfect-for-health.org/holiday-food-safety-campaign-survey). There is an abundance of scientific data demonstrating that ineffective disinfection in homes, hospitals, child care centers and similar institutions makes children and adults ill. We believe the responsible approach to disease prevention is to provide accurate information about how to reduce the risk associated with contaminated surface, including the use of disinfectant chemicals. No press release was sent to any blogger, only a disinfection fact sheet, providing insights to the importance of disinfecting frequently touched surfaces in childcare centers.