Due to the devastating outcomes directly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and indirectly related to the world's response, facility occupants have forever changed their views and expectations of facility cleanliness, hygiene, and safety.
How COVID-19 Changed Occupants Expectations of Facility Cleanliness
Facility occupants are notably more concerned with facility cleanliness and hygiene than at any point in the recent past.
A recent survey conducted by Stratus Building Solutions underscored this fact, reporting that:
- 87% of respondents stated they want proof facilities are following a regular cleaning and disinfection program.
- 89% said they will be more conscious of germs than ever before, even after being vaccinated.
- 90% said they are concerned with the cleanliness of the facilities they frequent, and they expect these organizations to prioritize infection prevention and control, even after being vaccinated.
- 65% said, after vaccination, that they would not dine at a restaurant unless they were confident about the establishment's infection prevention and control measures.
- 76% stated that they would directly question an establishment about their infection prevention and control measures.
- 80% said they favor COVID safety inspections that would require health officials to inspect businesses, workplaces, and schools for adequate cleaning and disinfection protocols.
- 80% said they are concerned that a COVID variant or similar pathogen would spread again in the future.
- 40% conveyed concerns about death--either themselves or a loved one.
- 83% of respondents said that they had permanently changed their cleaning and hygiene habits and didn't see a return to a post-pandemic mentality.
- 66% said they wanted their workplace cleaned and disinfected every day.
- 75% said they would ask their employer if they could work from home if they felt the facility was not cleaned and disinfected up to their expectations.
- 36% stated they are still concerned their employer isn't maintaining a reasonable level of workplace cleanliness.
- 50% conveyed fears regarding fellow occupants' hand hygiene compliance in the workplace, and;
- 55% said they were afraid office co-workers would not get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Addressing Occupant Expectations Regarding Facility Cleanliness and Hygiene as it Pertains to SARS-CoV-2
The first challenge facing custodial teams and facility managers when addressing occupant concerns regarding the potential surface spread of SARS-CoV-2 is that, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is almost non-existent.
Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) studies have been conducted to understand and characterize the relative risk of SARS-CoV-2 fomite transmission and evaluate the need for and effectiveness of prevention measures to reduce risk.
Findings of these studies suggest that the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection via the fomite transmission route is low, and generally less than 1 in 10,000, which means that each contact with a contaminated surface has less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of causing an infection.
Concentrations of infectious SARS-CoV-2 on outdoor surfaces could be expected to be lower than indoor surfaces because of air dilution and movement, as well as harsher environmental conditions, such as sunlight.
One QMRA study also evaluated the effectiveness of prevention measures that reduce the risk of fomite transmission and found that hand hygiene could substantially reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from contaminated surfaces, while surface disinfection once- or twice-per-day had little impact on reducing estimated risks.
Science Brief: SARS-CoV-2 and Surface (Fomite) Transmission for Indoor Community Environments
What that means is--surface transmission of COVID-19 is extremely low indoors, even lower outside, and the rate of transmission can better be reduced through a combination of regular cleaning, targeted fomite disinfection, and routine handwashing with soap and water.
That is not to say that increased daily cleaning of public spaces is not advisable in fighting against other deadly pathogens, especially influenza, or that a person could not get COVID through contact with a contaminated surface.
However, accurate dissemination of information is preferable to reactionary practices that pose potential harm to occupants--the overapplication of toxic disinfectants, for example--and the currently dominant theory is that SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily through the air--either as droplets or aerosolized--so that is where schools and businesses should focus their attention to ensure maximum occupant health and safety against the virus.
Combatting the Airborne Spread of SARS-CoV-2
As per the CDC's latest guidelines, SARS-CoV-2 transmission appears to occur most prominently via the airborne transmission of aerosolized particles.
To combat that, facilities will need to look at their airflow, HVAC, and air cleaning systems.
The recommended guidelines, according to The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, are to:
- Maintain, at a minimum, recommended outdoor airflow rates indoors.
- Use a combination of proven air filtration systems to achieve a minimum MERV 13 effectiveness rating.
- Employ commercial air cleaners that have proven effective at reducing the detectable levels of SARS-CoV-2 in the air.
- Avoid directional airflow and promote the mixing of space air to avoid person-to-person transmission.
- Maintain temp and humidity system recommendations and do not venture into energy use that incurs utility penalties.
- Flush spaces between occupancy periods as necessary, and;
- Limit re-entry of potentially contaminated air into occupied spaces.
References & Resources
- Survey: Americans' Expectations Of "Clean" Changed Forever
- Core Recommendations for Reducing Airborne Infectious Aerosol Exposure
Takeaway
To put it mildly, people are more concerned about the potential for pathogen transmission than at any point in recent memory.
Because of those concerns, students and workers want better infection prevention and control measures in the facilities they frequent.
However, while helpful in the fight against other deadly pathogens and pathogenic bacteria, increased cleaning frequencies in the absence of wide-community spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, especially when combined with wide-spread disinfection, is not required or recommended.
Instead, what needs to occur is the establishment of enhanced cleaning for health and targeted sustainable disinfection protocols that reduce the surface transmission of deadly germs and bacteria, combined with improved air cleaning and monitoring systems to reduce the transmission of dangerous airborne microbes.
Outsourcing to a knowledgeable service provider with a proven track record of success will help your organization navigate the constantly shifting information, guidelines, and training required to ensure the health and safety of your facility's occupants.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Palmdale, CA or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756
