The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11. The coronavirus has infected thousands in the United States and now is the time to take measures to prevent the spread. This flu-like epidemic is reason to maintain your facility’s health standards and be extra vigilant in keeping everything disinfected.
We want to remind you that SMI|DRS can offer a precautionary measure and help facility managers stay ahead by deep cleaning and sanitizing your facilities with hospital-grade disinfectant and cleaners.
While it is mostly spread through human interaction, it is thought that the coronavirus can also live on surfaces, which is why we want to help our customers be prepared as much as possible. It is also important to let your customers and staff know what you are doing to be proactive and prevent any potential spread.
Additionally, to keep your team and customers healthy, we want to reiterate the following measures that are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and dispose of it.
- If you touch shared surfaces, wash your hands as often as possible.
- If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
For facility managers, we advise you to enforce the following with your staff:
- Strict hand washing policy.
- Sick policy to stay home and minimize risk of infecting other employees.
- Regular cleaning schedule using hospital-grade disinfectant. This includes cleaning and disinfecting highly trafficked areas, while also having a professional team handle routine cleaning tasks, such as having kitchen hoods professionally cleaned and ceilings and walls wiped down. Here is a list of EPA-approved cleaning products for use against the coronavirus.
- Have hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes available to staff and customers.
- Watch out for low levels of humidity, which can promote transmission of viruses, according toYale researchers.
For more information and real-time updates on the coronavirus outbreak, visit the CDC’s website.