According to the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association (AEPMA), pest control is an essential service responsible for the protection of public health, food and property.
With the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the causative virus of Covid-19 disease – the importance of these services has never been of greater concern than now.
There is currently no evidence that the novel Coronavirus can infect other animal species however, it is something that cannot be ignored. What’s more likely to happen is a pest species could transport the Coronavirus on their body from an infected surface.
Researchers from Princeton, UCLA and the US National Institutes of Health have found that the virus can survive up to two to nine days on surfaces such as stainless steel, wood, paper, plastics and glass.
Since we know that pests such as rodents and cockroaches do transport various viral diseases and given the persistence of the Coronavirus on surfaces, it is vital to remain vigilant and ensure premises are routinely protected from infestations by insect and rodent pests.
The importance of the pest control industry to the nation as an essential service cannot be understated.
We hope that the people and families of Australia stay safe during these challenging times.
