By now you will have heard of COVID-19 and the World Health Organisation (WHO) explains it as a new strain of a virus belonging to the same family, or types of viruses, that cause illness ranging from the common cold through to the more extreme Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
As we follow the development of the virus it pays to stay alert to the steps you can take to P-R-O-T-E-C-T your staff & customers.
Prevention is critical to containing a virus, as viruses are difficult to cure. When it comes to out-of-home environments, ensuring you have optimal germ kill at your disposal is a priority.
Remove germs from all commonly touched surfaces using a suitable disinfectant like a bleach-based (hypochlorite) product which is active against respiratory viruses, as recommended by the International Scientific Forum on Home & Hygiene. This includes computer keyboards, TV remotes, telephones, door handles, tap handles, toilet seats and flush handles.
Observe your staff and customers for the following symptoms released by the Centre for Disease Control which include a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever or a general feeling of being unwell. Do not hesitate to seek medical advice if they show any of these symptoms.
Tell staff to use hand sanitizer frequently, preferably one with a high alcohol content (min 69%). Ensure your staff thoroughly covers their hands with it after they have come into contact with high use areas such as door handles, public toilets or menus in restaurants.
Ensure staff hand washing with soap is a priority. Before and after the toilet, before and after meals, and when you come in from outside. Washing hands for up to a minute is highly effective. If anyone of your staff does become ill, avoid sharing towels, facecloths, toothbrushes and eating utensils and wash clothes separately at a higher temperature (at least 60ºC) to avoid the spread of viruses.
Contain anything that comes into contact with human fluids; tissues go straight into lined bins, toilet waste is removed from all surfaces and disinfected with bleach, toilet paper is properly flushed. After sneezing germs can travel up to 3 metres spreading unwanted infections, so cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and wash your hands straight away.
Tell everyone the steps they can take to protect their workplace and encourage them to do the same – preventing the spread of a virus is a group effort.
For continuously updated information on the coronavirus, Domex recommends getting information directly from the WHO site, which is working globally to manage and contain the spread of the viral infection.
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