Unless you’ve gone off the grid, you’ve heard a lot about the coronavirus. This virus is all over the news, and some people have started to panic. While it’s understandable to be nervous, the best thing you can do is stay calm and prepared, especially if you hold a position of leadership.
What is the Coronavirus?
The news talks about something called “coronavirus,” but there are actually several viruses that fall under the coronavirus umbrella. The virus that most people are talking about when they say “coronavirus” today is called COVID-19, a name that doesn’t look quite as catchy when you use it in a headline. This virus is new to health experts and researchers, which is why people find it so worrying. Here’s what the WHO and the CDC know about the virus so far:
- It causes fever, coughing, and shortness of breath.
- Some have died from the virus.
- It spreads quickly and easily.
- Pregnant women, elderly people, disabled people, and people with underlying health issues have the highest risk of infection.
- Italy, China, South Korea, and Iran have the most confirmed cases.
Understandably, people want to protect themselves and their loved ones from the virus. However, panic-buying face masks and toilet paper won’t help. Instead, you should encourage sick people to stay home, avoid touching your face, practice good hygiene, and keep your environments clean.
Is Your Workplace at Risk?
When it comes to COVID-19, everybody should practice caution. However, the following places should take extra care with their cleaning practices and other precautions:
- Schools and daycares. Not only do children possibly have a higher risk of infection, but they also spread germs quickly from person to person. Children are more likely than adults to forget good hygiene practices.
- Businesses with close contact. If your business involves a lot of people in close contact with one another, it may have a high risk for infection spread.
- Travel agencies. Recent travelers may face a higher risk of infection.
- Nursing homes and retirement homes. Elderly and disabled people have more difficulty fighting off coronavirus.
- Hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses. These businesses put people in close contact with one another.
- Healthcare facilities. These facilities deal with more illnesses than the general population.
Cleaning and Coronavirus
Coronavirus spreads through person-to-person contact. However, the CDC hasn’t eliminated the possibility of surface-to-person infection. So far, evidence suggests that COVID-19 can survive on surfaces for several hours or even several days. By keeping your surfaces clean, you can help prevent the spread of infection. The CDC recommends a two-step process for cleaning. First, do a general cleaning to get rid of any visible dirt or spillage. Then, disinfect the surfaces to kill viruses and bacteria.
Hiring a Professional Team
Should you hire a professional team to clean your school or business? It certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea. A janitorial team can help you in several ways. First of all, the right cleaning team will understand the best practices for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. They’ll know which methods, cleaners, and tips work best for different workplaces. A professional janitor is likelier than anyone else to understand how long alcohol takes to kill viruses, for example, or what percentage of alcohol any given cleaner should have.
Furthermore, cleaning professionals understand how to reach cracks and corners that other people may miss. A lot of people are surprised to learn just how much training and practice go into janitorial work. If you hire the right cleaning team, you’ll get the right skills on your side.
Finally, when you have an entire team of janitors, you can disinfect your workplace quickly. This way, you won’t lose too much time during the cleaning process, and you won’t have to clean the space yourself.
Call Eagle Janitorial
Are you looking for commercial janitorial services? Then let us help. The Eagle Janitorial team has been cleaning facilities since 1995. We serve schools, medical buildings, businesses, and more. Contact us and let us know what you need. Our team is ready to serve you.