GK-GermKiller® Disinfectants are formulated to the highest levels of efficacy and subjected to the scrutiny of international certifications to achieve strict benchmarks.

GK-GermKiller® Disinfectants are certified to be Hospital-Grade Disinfectants. We bring you the superior effectiveness of disinfectants used in the strictest of hygiene environments – the hospital – to your home and workplaces. At the same time, we understand that unlike in a hospital setting where disinfectants are applied by professionals, GK-GermKiller® Disinfectants must be safe for frequent use by the consumer, in their homes and with their families.

GK-GermKiller® products stand out as the most heavily certified disinfectants in terms of human safety while meeting international standards for real-world efficacy against common and deadly pathogens. GK Air™, GK Surface™ and GK Concentrate™ have been tested in accordance to both internationally recognised U.S. EPA and Australia’s TGA requirements for Hospital-Grade surface disinfectants. It is a testament of our commitment to protecting GK-GermKiller® users against sickness-causing pathogens.   

WHAT DOES HOSPITAL-GRADE MEAN?

A Hospital-Grade disinfectant represents the highest grade of disinfection to kill the most common harmful microorganisms. It means that the disinfectant is able to perform the functions of bactericides (kill harmful bacteria), virucides (kill pathogenic viruses) and fungicides (destroy fungus).

Most consumer-grade disinfectants provide efficacy studies under ideal situations, typically without the interference of organic soil, that is, other contaminants commonly found in the environment (such as blood, saliva, body fluids) that can compromise the performance of a disinfectant.

In order to achieve Hospital-Grade certification, a disinfectant’s kill efficacy is measured by testing it against a list of test organisms that are harboured in organic soil using 5% fetal bovine serum. In other words, the disinfectant must not just inactivate the pathogens it is tested against, it must also do so in a real-world scenario (as opposed to idealized lab-scenario) of having interfering contaminants limiting its action. In achieving Hospital-Grade certification, GK-GermKiller® Disinfectants are certified to be effective against such bacteria that may be shielded underneath any biofluid or dirt.

Hospital-Grade disinfectants are recommended for use in hospitals, clinics, dental offices, nursing homes, sickrooms, childcare centres and schools where hygiene is a priority.  Be it at home or at the workplace, using GK-GermKiller® Disinfectants provides a high degree of certainty to achieve the hospital standard of cleanliness and hygiene, keeping everyone safe from harmful pathogens.

Understanding the COVID-19 Virus, its symptoms and how to better protect your family against it. 

What is the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Virus?

What are Coronaviruses and what is COVID-19?

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses causing illnesses ranging from the common cold to pneumonia (a severe lung infection). COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by a strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. It was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 and has since spread globally.¹

Recognising the COVID-19 Symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patients with confirmed COVID-19 infections have reported symptoms such as:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Loss of taste or smell.

The symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.²

How does COVID-19 spread?

Based on CDC³, current evidence suggests that COVID-19 most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:

• respiratory droplets expelled when coughing, sneezing, talking and singing. 
• close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands
• rarely, fecal contamination

Protecting yourself and others

The Ministry of Health has urged members of public to remain vigilant and to adopt good personal hygiene practices.⁴ You can take the steps to slow and stop the spread:

• Stay at least 1 metre away from others, whenever possible. 
• Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others. 
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitiser. 
• Avoid crowded indoor spaces and ensure indoor spaces are properly ventilated by bringing in outdoor air as much as possible. 
• Stay home and isolate from others when sick.
• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

Does GK-GermKiller® kill COVID-19?

Yes! GK-GermKiller® GK Air™, GK-GermKiller® GK Surface™ and GK-GermKiller® GK Concentrate™ have alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride as an active ingredient which attacks the structure of the virus. 

These GK-GermKiller® products have been tested against actual SARS-Cov-2 strain identified as “Isolate USA-WA1/2020” (1) The “Isolate USA-WA1/2020” strain was isolated from an oropharyngeal swab of a COVID-19 patient in the USA. To ensure the testing adhered to internationally-accepted protocols, the US EPA product performance test guideline ASTM E1053 (2)⁵ was implemented by a certified US laboratory.

In addition, the mentioned GK-GermKiller® products are on Singapore National Environment Agency’s (NEA) released NEA List of household products for Surface Disinfection of the COVID-19 Virus.

1 https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

2 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html

3 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/transmission.html

4 https://www.gov.sg/article/what-can-you-do-to-protect-yourself-from-covid-19#adopting-good-personal-hygiene 

5 https://www.epa.gov/test-guidelines-pesticides-and-toxic-substances/series-810-product-performance-test-guidelines

Testing based on US EPA product performance test guidelines for virucides confirms GK Air™ Disinfectant exhibit efficacy in breaking chain of COVID-19 infection

GermKiller GK Air™ Effective against SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19)

Vance Chemicals Pte. Ltd. (“Vance Chemicals”) announces today that its disinfectant air freshener spray, GK-GermKiller^® GK Air™ (“GK Air™”), has been scientifically proven to be >99.9% effective in inactivating the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (“SARS-CoV-2”) on hard, non-porous surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic [1].

GK Air™ began as an inflight disinfectant air freshener. It was specifically formulated to meet the requirements of the Singapore Airlines Group for an aircraft inflight disinfectant that is efficacious, safe and refreshing. It is now an integral part of the Singapore Airlines Group’s aircraft cleaning and disinfection protocol [2]. Singapore Airlines was recently awarded the highest “diamond” rating for reaching “hospital-grade level health safety” by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX)[3]. GK Air™ is also used by other airlines and in hygiene-sensitive environments such as childcare centres across Singapore.

In order to ensure that GK Air™ would be suitable as an inflight disinfectant (i.e. suitable for use within an enclosed space), it was important that GK Air™ did not pose any inhalation risks. In this regard, GK Air™ has been classified as Category 5 based on the Globally Harmonised System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals using the OECD guideline 403[4] for acute inhalation toxicity assessment. In short, GK Air™ is as safe as, or even safer than most air fresheners found on supermarket shelves. It has also been tested for acute toxicity, irritation, and sensitisation based on OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals [5] and was deemed safe for daily use around humans and animals alike, on various surfaces, materials and the environment when the directions for use are followed.

SARS-CoV-2 can survive on surfaces ranging from a few hours to 28 days, depending on the type of surface and the temperature of the environment [6]. It is mainly transmitted via respiratory droplets and aerosols from infected persons when they sneeze, cough, speak or breathe, especially when in close proximity with others. Besides direct transmission, infectious droplets landing on surfaces that others touch can cause indirect transmission [7]. Frequent hand-washing and disinfecting high-touch surfaces are therefore important. With its ready-to-use spray formula, GK Air™ provides a high degree of certainty in breaking the chain of transmission for COVID-19 via contaminated surfaces especially in high human traffic, hygiene-sensitive and enclosed environments.

Vance Chemicals subjected GK Air™ for testing against an actual SARS-CoV-2 strain identified as “Isolate USA-WA1/2020”1. The “Isolate USA-WA1/2020” strain was isolated from an oropharyngeal swab of a COVID-19 patient in the USA. To ensure the testing adhered to internationally-accepted protocols, the US EPA product performance test guideline ASTM E10532 – Standard Practice to Assess Virucidal Activity of Chemicals Intended for Disinfection of Inanimate, Nonporous Environmental Surfaces, was implemented by a certified US laboratory[8]. GK Air™ is also tested effective >99.9% against Influenza A (H1N1) and up to 99.99999% effective against most harmful bacteria.

“GK Air™ was originally formulated for inflight use, but now, it is made available to all consumers on the ground too. We have strived to make it suitable and effective even as a daily-use disinfectant air freshener that is economical and can be used practically everywhere,” says Ms Swee Cheng Lim, Sales Manager of Vance Chemicals.

Vance Chemicals’ R&D and manufacturing are all located in Singapore and all GK-GermKiller^® products are tested using international protocols by leading independent local and international laboratories. Other GK-GermKiller^® products, GK Concentrate™ and GK Surface™ have also been tested and proven effective against SARS-CoV-2.

More product information can be found at gk-germkiller.com.


References:
[1] “The species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: classifying 2019-nCoV and naming it SARS-CoV-2”. Nature Microbiology, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7095448/
[2] “Singapore Airlines steps up cleaning of aircraft amid COVID-19 outbreak”, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid19-sia-steps-up-aircraft-cleaning-travel-coronavirus-12457756, see photo captioned “Minister of Transport Khaw Boon Wan and Senior Minister of State Lam Pin Min try out disinfectants used on board the aircraft. (Photo: Jeremy Long)”
[3] “Singapore Airlines receives highest rating for ‘hospital-grade’ health and safety in global audit”, Channel News Asia, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-airlines-sia-health-safety-diamond-rating-covid-19-13991930
[4] “Test No. 403: Acute Inhalation Toxicity”, https://www.oecd.org/env/test-no-403-acute-inhalation-toxicity-9789264070608-en.htm
[5] “OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals”, OECDiLibrary, https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment/oecd-guidelines-for-the-testing-of-chemicals_72d77764-en
[6] “The effect of temperature on persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on common surfaces”, Shane Riddell, et. al., Virology Journal, DOI, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01418-7
[7] “How does COVID-19 spread between people”, World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-how-is-it-transmitted
[8] Product Performance Test Guideline, OCSPP 810.2200, Disinfectants for Use on Environmental Surfaces, Guidance for Efficacy Testing, [EPA 712-C-17-004], https://beta.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0150-0036

Testing based on US EPA guidelines for virucides confirms GK-GermKiller® Concentrate™ disinfectant effective in breaking the chain of infection of COVID-19

SINGAPORE, January 19, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Vance Chemicals Pte. Ltd. (“Vance Chemicals”) announces today that its GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ general purpose dilutable disinfectant has been proven scientifically >99.9% effective in inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Vance Chemicals subjected GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ for testing against an actual SARS-Cov-2 strain identified as “Isolate USA-WA1/2020” (1) The “Isolate USA-WA1/2020” strain was isolated from an oropharyngeal swab of a COVID-19 patient in the USA. To ensure the testing adhered to internationally-accepted protocols, the US EPA product performance test guideline ASTM E1053 (2) – Standard Practice to Assess Virucidal Activity of Chemicals Intended for Disinfection of Inanimate, Nonporous Environmental Surfaces, was implemented by a certified US laboratory.

The result: GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ demonstrates efficacy based on the US EPA passing criteria requirement of at least 3 log10 reduction of SARS-Cov-2. In other words, GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ can quickly inactivate >99.9% of this virus in a short time.

In addition to social distancing, hygiene is core to limiting the spread of the disease. SARS-CoV-2 is mainly transmitted via respiratory droplets and aerosols from infected persons when they sneeze, cough, speak or breathe, especially when in close proximity with others. Besides direct transmission, infectious droplets that land on surfaces that others touch can cause indirect transmission [3]. SARS-Cov-2 can survive on surfaces ranging from a few hours to 28 days depending on the type of surface and the temperature of the environment [4]. Frequent hand-washing and disinfecting of contact items and surfaces is therefore important. Consequently, this test result confirms that the use of GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ is effective in helping to break the chain of infection caused by the virus.

In addition, GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ is also tested effective >99.9% against other common viruses such as Influenza A (H1N1) and Human Rotavirus. Furthermore, even at dilutions up to 80 parts of water, GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ can still effectively inactivate >99.9% of illness-causing bacteria.

GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ is also formulated to be safe for daily use around humans and animals alike, and on various surfaces, materials and the environment. The disinfectant was tested for its acute toxicity, irritation, and sensitisation based on OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals [5] and was deemed safe when the directions for use are followed. GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ is a Green Label [6] product approved by the Singapore Environment Council to be an environmentally preferred surface cleaner. It is also a registered product in the NSF International Nonfood Compounds Registration Program Category C1 [7] which assess products for food processing establishments.

“Our rigorous international third-party testing assures our customers that GK-GermKiller^® Concentrate™ is a quality and effective product they can trust,” says Damon Lim, Head of Sales.

Vance Chemical’s R&D and manufacturing are all located in Singapore and all GK-GermKiller^® products are tested using international protocols by leading independent local and international laboratories.

More product information can be found at gk-germkiller.com.

References:
[1] “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 From Patient With Coronavirus Disease, United States”, Jennifer Harcourt, et. al., “Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2020;26(6):1266-1273.”, https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/931155_4
[2] “ASTM E1053-20 Standard Practice to Assess Virucidal Activity of Chemicals Intended for Disinfection of Inanimate, Nonporous Environmental Surfaces”, ASTM International, https://www.astm.org/Standards/E1053.htm
[3] “How does COVID-19 spread between people”, World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-how-is-it-transmitted
[4] “The effect of temperature on persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on common surfaces”, Shane Riddell, et. al., Virology Journal, DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01418-7
[5] “OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals”, OECDiLibrary, https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment/oecd-guidelines-for-the-testing-of-chemicals_72d77764-en
[6] “Singapore Green Label”, Singapore Environment Council, https://sgls.sec.org.sg/cms.php?cms_id=3
[7] “Nonfood Compounds”, NSF International, https://www.nsfinternational.eu/food/non-food-compounds/

Swee Cheng Lim
Vance Chemicals Pte. Ltd
+65 6863 0863
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