As alarms are raised regarding reported increases in Omicron variant infections, businesses wishing to maintain public trust will need to maintain high facility health and sanitation standards.
Omicron in California
The Omicron variant is confirmed in California, but it may have been here before the World Health Organization declared it a variant of concern or gave it a Greek letter designation.
Per the Los Angeles Times;
In a statement to The Times, the California Department of Public Health said that a sample of wastewater collected in Merced County on Nov. 25 contained a mutation that suggests the Omicron variant was present in California at that time.
That’s one day after South African scientists informed the World Health Organization of the new variant and a day before the WHO gave it the name Omicron and declared it the newest coronavirus variant of concern.
The finding reinforces observations that scientists have made in recent weeks: that Omicron was rapidly spreading across the world before global health officials were aware it existed.
There are other examples that indicate Omicron was in California before the WHO gave the variant its Greek-letter designation and raised the alarm on Nov. 26.
Omicron was in California weeks ago, before officials raised alarms, water sample suggests
While the variant reportedly spreads rapidly, there have been very few confirmed cases in California, most of them occurring in individuals who were fully vaccinated, several with boosters, all exhibiting mild symptoms, and none of which were hospitalized.
The California Department of Public Health said five cases now have been confirmed in Los Angeles County.
San Diego County reported its second case late Friday.
And state health officials said one each has been reported in San Francisco — the first U.S. omicron case reported Dec. 1 — and the counties of Long Beach, El Dorado, Yolo, Ventura and Santa Clara, which announced its case Friday.
All but two of the reported omicron cases were in people who had been vaccinated, and the vaccination status of two others was unknown.
Those infected ranged in age from 16 to 55, the California Department of Public Health said, and reported mild symptoms, and none have been hospitalized.
The Role of Cleaning for COVID
SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus that spreads primarily via inhalation.
Variant mutations do not alter the underlying structure or behavior of the virus.
That means there is no need to implement excessive deep cleaning or disinfection routines to combat the virus.
Daily cleaning with a soap-based detergent combined with targeted fomite disinfection has proven more than sufficient.
According to an interview with microbiologist Emanuel Goldman of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School;
The virus that causes COVID-19 mainly spreads in the air, so antibacterial wipes and other deep-cleaning methods for surfaces are not needed, experts say.
As researchers take stock of the Omicron variant, one thing appears clear: You don’t have to deep-clean surfaces or wash your groceries to guard against the latest detected mutation of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Will Omicron behave like the Delta variant and spread primarily through the air?
This is indeed an obvious yes.
The surface stability sensitivity of the virus is completely unaffected by any variants.
It's an enveloped virus, and the mutations do not change that key property of the virus particles.
However, for businesses looking to attract shoppers during the crucial holiday season and into next year, it is important to keep consumer expectations in mind.
A recent study shows that shoppers and diners expect to see cues demonstrating an increase in cleaning frequencies and quality.
Shoppers now more than ever expect stores to be clean, sanitized and disinfected, and they expect to see evidence that workers are actively cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting, especially in food service areas.
Visual cues such as employees wearing masks and visibly cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces have been critical for making consumers feel safer visiting restaurants, according to Technomic’s recent Safety and Sanitation Reigns, Sustainability Returns report.
The report notes that consumers indicate that they want these overt cleaning measures to remain in place following the pandemic.
In fact, consumers indicate they are willing to spend twice as much at restaurants that meet cleanliness standards than at those that do not.
Safe and Effective Middle Ground
For businesses concerned with maintaining the health and safety of their building while meeting shopper and diner expectations, increasing the rate of visible cleaning efforts without damaging indoor air and environmental quality can be challenging.
Proven methods for achieving a productive middle ground include:
- Employing day porter services to wipe down high contact surfaces and keep restrooms cleaned and stocked.
- Using EPA-labeled Safer Choice products that are registered as effective against COVID-19 and its variants to reduce the release of VOCs into the air and any toxins occupants may be exposed to.
- Increasing the ventilation inside of your building and installing MERV-13 or higher rated HVAC system filters, and;
- Deploying signage throughout the facility detailing the cleaning efforts your business is undertaking and the chemicals that are used in the process to guests and other occupants.
References & Resources
Takeaway
The Omicron variant has been a hot topic in the news recently, resulting in a reversal on many public policies that allowed businesses to function at pre-COVID norms without mask mandates.
Current data shows that, except in the case of localized contamination or an increase in community spread, increased cleaning rates are unnecessary and a waste of resources.
However, that conflicts with consumer and office worker demands for a visible increase in cleaning efforts.
Finding a safe and effective middle ground requires advanced custodial skills, training, and equipment--much of which is outside the budgets of many local organizations.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding highly in-demand cleaning and disinfection services and experience for a fraction of the price of maintaining a similar service in-house.
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 on-site 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
