University and School Cleaning Services for Coronavirus

3/13/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Provides University and School Cleaning Services for Coronavirus

By now we’ve all heard of the “Coronavirus” which causes the deadly COVID-19 respiratory illness that has taken 4,418 lives so far and made its way into 100 countries globally.

Those in charge of public spaces everywhere are responding to the pandemic threat by canceling events, recommending “social distancing,” and reminding people of best practices in hygiene (frequent and thorough hand washing and avoidance of face touching).

In some parts of the country, schools have closed as a precautionary measure. It’s unknown what impact there will be on the greater Dallas area, but there are things we can do to be proactive.

The World Health Organization released an advisory for schools that remain open to:

• Inform students on how to protect themselves.
• Promote best practices with hygiene like handwashing.
• Cleaning & disinfecting school facilities (especially water & sanitation).
• Increasing airflow and ventilation.

When it comes to preventing the spread of this virus, it’s up to us as a community to do the best we can to remain informed and act with thoughtful consideration.

Students and their parents trust administrators to address public health issues and we’re here to offer our school cleaning services to help you put together an action plan that includes decontamination.

Cleanliness is how to best be proactive. There may be some out there seeking to exploit this growing crisis by claiming they have a product or service that can prevent or even cure this virus. But please be aware that claims such as these are unsubstantiated as no product has been tested and proven to cure or prevent this strain of the Coronavirus.

SERVPRO Response to Spread of Coronavirus and Infectious Diseases

Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and other diseases, public facility managers are faced with an urgent need for bio-remediation and decontamination of commonly used interior surfaces. An action plan should also include the safe disposal and carry of infected materials.

What we do know about COVID-19 (a.k.a coronavirus disease 2019) is that it’s usually spread from person-to-person contact when droplets of the virus become airborne through a cough or sneeze. 

We also suspect that COVID-19 can be contracted by a person’s skin picking up the contagions from touching a surface or object, then transferring these microorganisms through vulnerable points such as the mouth, nose or eyes.

Because the virus can live on surfaces and objects, it’s critical that areas be properly cleaned and disinfected. SERVPRO of Richardson is prepared to take immediate action for our Dallas area community to mitigate the spread of possible pathogens.

SERVPRO Cleanup Scope and Disinfecting Procedures

We’re meticulous and thorough about our clean up procedures. Below is a list of areas that should be disinfected.

Cleanup Scope of Work and Planning

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has provided guidelines for what are considered to be “high-touch” areas that should be kept clean:

• Counters 
• Tabletops 
• Doorknobs 
• Light switches 
• Bathroom fixtures 
• Toilets 
• Phones 
• Keyboards 
• Tablets
• Tables

The CDC has also identified the following heavy use areas as susceptible to harboring viruses:

• Kitchen/food areas 
• Bathrooms 
• Schools/classrooms 
• Offices 
• Retail spaces 
• Water fountains 
• Shelving and racks 
• Sales counters 
• Carpets and rugs 
• Stair handrails 
• Elevator cars 
• Playground equipment 
• Fitness equipment

The above are examples of high traffic areas and “heavy touch” surfaces which should be consistently sanitized.

Cleanup Does Not Protect Against Future Contamination

Using a thorough and professional cleaning service like SERVPRO only decontaminates the structure and its contents at the time of the cleaning. 

If it was discovered that a person testing positive for the Coronavirus was in the facility and potentially left pathogens of the virus behind, the area and its contents would need to be decontaminated all over again.

Professional routine cleaning may be necessary to stay on top of this issue.

Services that We Provide for Disinfection and Preventative Measures

SERVPRO of Richardson cares about this public health issue.

Our Commitment to the Community:

• SERVPRO professionals are trained in adhering to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards.
• SERVPRO is performing all cleanup and bioremediation in accordance with the guidelines provided by the CDC and local authorities.
• SERVPRO’s proprietary cleaning agent, SERVPROXIDE, is an EPA-certified, hospital-grade disinfectant that has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) on hard, non-porous surfaces.

SERVPRO of Richardson is keeping up to date with the latest information and advisories from the CDC. We make best efforts for prevention and disinfection.

We offer textile cleaning with our industrial Esporta Wash System. We also ensure the safe transfer of any contaminated objects.

SERVPRO is on call 24 hours a day to assist in an emergency. If night time or weekend cleaning is best for you, we’ll be there when you need us.

SERVPRO will respond appropriately to the situation be it a preventive measure for a suspected case or a confirmed case of Coronavirus on the campus. We’ll make sure we have any and all resources needed to completely carry out the biohazard cleanup services. We’ll thoroughly clean, disinfect and sanitize the affected areas.

SERVPRO is diligent in following all CDC regulations and guidelines and we recommend that all school campuses do the same. 

The world is still learning about this virus, so there are no guarantees that the Coronavirus pathogens can be completely eliminated, but we do believe our SERVPROXIDE is your best chance at effectively sanitizing an area affected by the virus.

SERVPRO of Richardson is committed to doing our part for public health while we cope with this pandemic. Remember we are ready to respond 24/7. Call us at (972) 690-1414 anytime.