Coronavirus infections in care homes and other social care settings can easily affect the vulnerable people in our society, as well as those providing the care and support for them. With Covid-19 we are dealing with a new virus and scientists are still trying to find a vaccine to stop the spread of it. In the meantime it is important to put control measures in place to inhibit the spread of the Covid-19 virus by people coming into contact with it.
COVID-19 has a fast infection rate because it is passed through droplets from an infected person coughing, sneezing and talking causing saliva droplets from their mouth to be deposited onto surfaces over a short distance around them. In turn others then come into contact with these droplets and contract the virus. The surfaces causing the transmission include door handles and handrails, computer equipment, touch screens and many other surfaces. You may become infected by the virus if you touch these surfaces and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes.
Preventing Coronavirus in the workplace
Research has proven that the coronavirus can last up to 3 days on plastic or metal surfaces and a day on cardboard. Without a vaccine or treatment, the key to preventing the spread of COVID-19 lies in stringent hygiene measures. These include washing or sanitising our hands regularly and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that people frequently touch. This usually means contact points such as door handles, washing walls, mopping floors and cleaning surfaces such as desks or workstations with an anti-bacterial spray. In some circumstances this is not sufficient and a thorough deep clean is needed, particularly in sterile areas or those which have been quarantined.
There are several methods of deep cleaning we can offer including fogging.
Fogging
For deep cleaning within kitchens, offices, care settings and various spaces across industry, we use a method called fogging. Fogging disinfection requires a specialist contractor (such as ourselves), who wear chemical suits, gloves and an air fed ventilator and sealed masks to clean large areas of a building quickly and effectively. We use specialised cleaning methods and products including an antiviral disinfectant solution (to BS EN 14476 standard) to clean and sanitise. This solution kills off the virus and other biological agents either in the air or on surfaces within your premises.
Our disinfectant fogging service involves spraying a fine mist from a spray gun. Once treated, the area must be sealed off completely for some time afterwards for the air to clear and the spray to evaporate. This is usually a period of 6 hours.
Because of the 6-hour downtime we usually work with our clients to provide the fogging service at a time that minimises disruption to their business’s operational hours.
Is fogging effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19?
A recent report by Quality Compliance Systems titled ‘How effective is fogging in fighting Coronavirus?’ stated;
“Although it is costly, it’s worth considering the cost of not decontaminating in the context of the risk to vulnerable service users, the impact of the virus on vulnerable staff groups, wider community spread and reputational damage.”
“In a social care setting where someone has had COVID-19, a full deep clean will be necessary and fogging is the most effective method.”
If you’re considering fogging for your premises always check the following:
- The contactor is wearing the correct PPE, including a respiratory or sealed mask
- The chemical being used is an antiviral disinfectant solution (to BS EN 14476 standard)
- You receive a completion statement for insurance purposes once the fogging has been completed.
Our operatives will always complete the above checklist.
What fogging chemicals do we use?
The product we’re currently using is Evans, SAFE ZONE PLUS which microbiological profile includes:
EN 14476 Chemical disinfectants and antiseptics – Virucidal quantitative suspension test for chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in the medical area. Test parameters: 5 to 60 minutes contact time, 20°C, low and high level soiling. Virucidal criteria: ≥4 log reduction ≡ 99.99% reduction.
What areas do we cover?
We typically cover London, Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent, depending on the extent of the work required. We can mobilise a fast response team to your site for an emergency call out within a couple of hours, (subject to your location).
Please contact us to find out more about our fogging service and range of cleaning services, or to arrange a site visit for an obligation free quotation. We will be happy to quote for a cleaning programme designed to match the exact cleaning requirements of your organisation and its facilities.
Call us on:
01245 675180
Email: service@sas-access.co.uk
