Shanghai health authorities on Tuesday published a notice informing residents about the "terminal cleaning" process in the east China metropolis, which is currently facing a wave of COVID-19.

Terminal cleaning is a thorough disinfection of places that may host sources of infection. It aims to neutralize the location, completely removing potentially remaining viruses, read the notice.

If local health professionals come to your home to conduct terminal cleaning, make sure to cooperate with them because the process can greatly reduce the chance of further infections. It's possible for the virus to exist for a long time in your fridge, washroom or cloakroom.

You should also inform the professionals about items that are vulnerable to sanitizers or require special protection, so that they can plan accordingly.

The entire terminal cleaning process should be supervised by community staff.

If you are about to be discharged from a hospital after recovery, remember to take a shower after you return home. Your belongings should be stored on a balcony with good ventilation. Since your home should have been disinfected when you were admitted to the hospital, you only need to do a normal cleaning after coming back.