The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that commercially available, agency-approved disinfectants can be expected to effectively fight the new genetic strains of SARS-CoV-2, reports the Center for Biocides Chemistries (CBC). As a result, consumers should feel confident that products on the CBC List of Novel Coronavirus-Fighting Products, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) List N: Disinfectants for Coronavirus, will kill the novel Coronavirus upon application and stop its spread.

Viruses evolve into new strains when there is a change to their genetic composition. This process is common, and it is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate as time passes and they are passed from one host to another. This particular new strain was detected in England in September 2020.

Officials with EPA’s Antimicrobials Division state that the Agency continues to expect that products on its List N will kill all strains of COVID-19. The agency said the genetic changes to the virus that have been observed will not compromise the efficacy of the disinfectants against them.

“Our members’ disinfectant products are effective at killing viruses by chemically inactivating them,” said CBC Executive Director Komal Jain. “The difficulty of eliminating a virus depends on its physical features, and the recent mutations of SARS-CoV-2 have not changed their basic physically properties. The same products that served us well last year continue to do so now despite the new genetic strains we’re seeing.”