Several of the monumental challenges faced by the cleaning industry in 2020 will continue well into 2021, impacting every facet of business and education throughout the United States.
Two Challenges to the Cleaning Industry That Will Impact Your School or Business
Global supply chains, critical to national infrastructure and defense, and individual health and wellness, took a massive hit during the pandemic.
Interim carpet and floor maintenance are cost-effective alternatives to expensive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive deep cleaning and extraction methods, but require some planning and scheduling to be effective.
Interim Floor Care and Facility Maintenance
Conventionally, winter is the off-season for many facilities, including schools and summer resorts, seasonal hotels, and even small businesses.
The general rule of thumb for sanitizing a surface is to first clean to remove visible soil, then sanitize to kill unseen germs, mold, mildew, fungus, and bacteria, but that may not always be necessary.
Why We Clean Before sanitizing
Soap-based detergents are used to clean and remove visible soil, bacteria, pathogens, and other microbes from surfaces, but typically do not kill anything.
A recent survey shows much of the workforce is eager to return to the office, with several concessions--at least once per day cleaning and sanitizing topping the list.
Preparing Your Office for the Return of Work-From-Home Employees
A recent survey conducted by PromoLeaf found that the vast majority of the U.S. workforce appears to be ready to return to the office.
Industrial warehouses are critical to the supply chain, but are susceptible to the transmission of pathogens between workers and surfaces, so they must be regularly cleaned and maintained according to the highest standards.
The Challenge of Warehouse Cleaning Before, During, and After COVID-19
Industrial warehouses are an increasingly necessary component of day-to-day living during the extended lockdowns, which have forced an often extreme shift in how consumers acquire necessary products from manufacturers.
Several emerging technologies and trends in the cleaning industry came to the forefront in 2020, thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but not all technologies are created equally, are being deployed correctly, or operated in a manner that is both beneficial to facility occupants and the environment.
According to current data, Influenza and Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) have remained far lower than in past seasons, but health professionals are urging caution in interpreting the data and have voiced concerns regarding a rise in cases early in 2021.
Influenza Activity Remains Low But Officials Urge Caution
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reported ILI cases currently stand at 1.6% for the fourth consecutive week--far below the national average of 2.6%.
Additionally, the CDC has reported that:
Respiratory specimens submitted to clinical labs testing positive for influenza stands at 0.3% for the week of December 12th.
Schools have been a focal point for the debate surrounding SARS-CoV-2 and the potential for transmission from students to teachers and faculty in the classroom and parents at home, with buses topping the list of areas of concern for multiple reasons.
Keeping School Buses Safe from SARS-CoV-2
According to the Safe Routes Partnership's National Statistics on School Transportation, as of the 2004-05 school year, the last year such information was compiled, approximately 55.3% of the students enrolled in the K-12 program--roughly 45,625,458 children--ride the bus to and from school each day.
Community--non-healthcare affiliated--facilities, such as schools, various types of businesses, and daycare centers, are either open or preparing to open shortly with the intent of remaining so for the duration of this public health emergency, which means strict cleaning and sanitization guidelines must be followed.
Short-term, eliminating the spread of COVID-19 is of paramount concern, but the long-term ramifications of the decisions made on how the pandemic is addressed will be felt for years to come.
Guidelines for Safer COVID-19 Cleaning and sanitization in the Workplace
As the dust finally begins to settle on the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 and concrete information regarding the nature and survivability of the virus is better understood, specific protocols that guide business decisions regarding cleaning and infection control programs can be developed.