As many experts predicted, this year’s cold and flu season is proving to be deadly. Influenza and COVID-19 are affecting many people, but it’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that is causing the biggest problem. Children’s hospitals and ERs across the country are at capacity or overwhelmed by the number of children who have come down with RSV. A recent report found that 76% of the nation’s pediatric beds were occupied as of November 7th, and children’s ICU beds are at or above capacity.
This surge of RSV illnesses among young children is highly concerning. As a result, medical experts are calling for help and asking the public to take precautions such as staying home when sick or exposed to someone sick, practicing good hand hygiene, wearing a mask, and disinfecting high-touch surfaces.
As a professional cleaning company, we know how worrisome this recent surge in respiratory illness is. These illnesses are spread through surface transmission, which makes cleaning and disinfecting an essential tool in reducing transmission. Here are some tips from Cleanlink that can help!
- Remember, RSV lives for a long time on surfaces. One of the easiest ways RSV is spread is through surface transmission. The virus lives on surfaces for several hours and unwashed hands for at least 30 minutes. This means that every sneeze, dirty hand, bit of saliva, or other bodily fluids that touch a surface may contaminate that surface for hours. The best way to beat this effect is to return to some of the disinfecting measures we used in the pandemic’s early days, like frequently disinfecting high-touch areas every few hours.
- Good hand hygiene is essential. One of our best tools in the current fight against RSV and other illnesses is practicing good hand hygiene. This means washing your hands for 30 seconds or more with warm water and antibacterial soap. As a business owner, make sure your restrooms are stocked with plenty of soap, install hand sanitization stations throughout your business, and use posters and other signage to remind people of proper handwashing techniques.
- Use EPA-approved disinfectants with quaternary ammonium. The EPA maintains a database of approved disinfectant cleaning products that help reduce the transmission of viruses on surfaces, including COVID-19 and RSV. One of the common ingredients many of these products contain is quaternary ammonium or quats. Quats are used in various disinfection and antibacterial products because they are highly effective at puncturing the cellular walls of viruses. This property makes quats effective as an antibacterial and disinfection tool. Remember to choose EPA-approved disinfectant cleaning products that include quats for the best protection.
The ongoing fight against RSV is not over. Children and other vulnerable members of our society are still at risk, and we must implement these cleaning practices to reduce transmission. If you need help keeping your business clean and safe, we can assist. We have the expertise to implement disinfection and infection prevention protocols to help reduce the spread of illnesses like RSV in your business. Call today! (801) 994-6924
