COVID-19 (Corona Virus)
Current Situation
The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully known. Reported illnesses have ranged from very mild (including some with no reported symptoms) to severe, including illness resulting in death. While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, a report out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases. Older people and people of all ages with severe underlying health conditions – like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example – seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness. (CDC).
Ready to Respond
As stated, this situation is dynamic and changing every hour. As your emergency service responder, we want you to know that:
“When called upon, our trained team is ready to respond to sanitize and disinfect your commercial facility”
The objective of this document is to offer facility directors and municipality leaders a planned response option to deal with this Coronavirus outbreak. We are recommending a 3 Phase plan which is fully supported by the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Phase 1
Preventative Phase – (YOU) follow the CDC steps for minimizing the risk of spread. These steps can be found on the CDC website (CDC.GOV) and are included as an attachment within this document.
Phase 2:
Response Phase – (WE) will respond when called upon. Following the CDC, EPA, and OSHA guidelines, we will use an approved hospital-grade disinfectant that is an approved product on the EPA List N to clean & sanitize your facility. Our Trained team will follow a protocol specific to your facility and situation.
Phase 3:
Maintenance Phase – (US) Once the emergency cleaning and disinfecting of your facility is complete, together as a team, we will monitor this fluid situation to help your facility maintain a safe & healthy status. These steps may include scheduled ULV fogging or misting with a hospital-grade disinfectant and additional training of facilities maintenance staff. As your cleaning & disinfecting professional, we will continue to stay ahead of this situation and do everything possible to keep the occupants of your facility safe and healthy throughout this event and beyond.
General Information – COVID 19
The overwhelming message is that COVID-19 is not difficult to kill on surfaces – routine prevention actions & awareness to avoid exposure or spreading are key. Some good news is that Coronaviruses such as COVID-19 are enveloped viruses, which are the easiest viruses to kill. Actually, they are in the easiest of all microorganism categories. The EPA & CDC state that if an antimicrobial product can kill a small, non-enveloped virus it should be able to kill any enveloped virus.
Disinfectant and Chemical Selection
There are many products available to neutralize COVID-19. We do not recommend cleaning and disinfectant for use unless it is EPA List N registered, which means that the product has been proven by a third party for claims of effectiveness. Products used against COVID-19 should be “hospital grade” as per the EPA. Check the EPA website, instead of just trusting hearsay. The EPA has compiled a list of “Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2” known as List N, this list is not final and is changing and expanding. The EPA states that “Inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement by EPA. There may be additional disinfectants that meet the criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2. EPA will update this list with additional products as needed”
Products can be researched on the https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
Clients should request and review Safety Data Sheets for any product being used in their facility. The contractor is required to have these sheets onsite and available.
Considerations for disinfectant selection:
- Efficacy against COVID-19 – Is this disinfectant registered with the EPA?
- Corrosiveness – Will this disinfectant damage electronics and finishes within the facility?
- Safety Hazard – What are the PPE requirements using this disinfectant?
- Containment – Will the facility need to be vacant when using this disinfectant?
Some disinfectants are corrosive and can damage electronics if improperly used or even properly used. Disinfectants that are corrosive or toxic require special protective equipment for applicators. The protective equipment is not only determined by disinfectant choice but also the delivery system such as wet fogging, misting, spraying, etc. The different applications produce different OSHA related concerns for applicator safety. Some disinfectants may require a facility to be vacant during application than for a period of time after application. Some facilities, such as hospitals, may never close, so placing containment barriers that eliminate air and particulate matter transitioning freely is necessary. It is important to note that it is recommended to allow at least 10 Minutes of Dwell Time after Misting or applying any disinfecting product before any wiping or other forms of source load removal is performed.
Conclusion
We are working around the clock to ensure our readiness to respond to your situation. We have the knowledge, training, and experience to respond when called upon. We are on call 24/7 until which time we have beaten this virus and our lives have returned to normal.