A Sustainability and Disinfecting Program for Healthcare Facilities and Senior Care Facilities in a Post-COVID-19 World

A Sustainability and Disinfecting Program for Healthcare Facilities and Senior Care Facilities in a Post-COVID-19 World

 

Senior healthcare facilities have been the hardest by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In 17 states, more than half of the reported deaths have come from nursing homes. For assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and senior care facilities, it’s created new challenges for residents and staff.

Healthcare facilities of all types are high-risk places. The sickest patients wind up in hospitals and have the potential to expose staff, visitors, and other patients to the deadly disease. More than 88,000 healthcare professionals have contracted coronavirus and nearly 500 have died.

Maintaining a germ-free environment for healthcare and senior care facilities continues to be a daily battle. While cleaning and sanitizing can help, a disinfecting and sustainability program is the only effective solution.

Infectious disease experts recommend these strategies for mitigating exposure in your facility in a post-COVID-19 world:

  • Place visual signages at entrances for hand hygiene, face masks requirements, and social distancing
  • Increased hand sanitizing stations
  • Limits visitors to facilities
  • Reduce waiting area seating and overall capacity
  • The use of appropriate PPE for staff

While these practices can help lessen the risk for exposure, healthcare facilities and senior care facilities must go much further to protect patients, staff, and visitors.
 

Environmentally-Friendly, Healthy, and Safer Adhesives, Grout, and Waterproofing Products
 

Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocol for Senior Care and Healthcare Facilities

A rigorous cleaning and disinfecting protocol must be put in place and checked regularly. Normal cleaning is necessary to keep surfaces clean. It will decrease the number of bacteria and viruses that are on objects and surfaces but it will not deactivate it. After cleaning, disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants to fight COVID-19 are necessary. Frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects, especially high-touch areas or areas where patients or residents are housed, are crucial.

All areas used by sick people must be cleaned and disinfected at least daily. Area housing COVID-19 patients should be disinfecting using enhanced contact precautions, including full protective equipment, and a double cleaning using disinfectants that cling to surfaces.

Cleaning and disinfecting get rid of what’s on the surface, but as soon as someone touches it again, they can leave behind active bacteria. You need more than a sanitizing and disinfecting routine; you need a sustainability program – a solution that provides longer-lasting protection.

 

Environmentally-Friendly, Healthy, and Safer Adhesives, Grout, and Waterproofing Products
 

A Mechanical Barrier of Antimicrobial Protection

Part of that solution should include a mechanical barrier of antimicrobial protection, such as Tile Doctor Shield®. Tile Doctor Shield® is a patented product that continues to work long after traditional antimicrobials or sanitizers have stopped working. It provides reliable surface protection even in between cleanings.

Tile Doctor Shield® works as an EPA registered topical product with 90-day effectiveness for many hard surfaces, such as tile, vinyl, stone, ceramic, marble, counter-tops, and shower systems. It bonds to substrate material for stain protection and prevents microbes from attaching to surfaces.

The New Definition of Clean

 

Unlike harsh chemicals, it is safe enough for “next to skin” applications, contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and will not leach. It permanently (covalently) bonds to surfaces and has a 99.9% kill log for protection. Upon direct contact with Tile Doctor Shield®, cell membranes of microbes are physically disrupted. The modified surface becomes inhospitable to a broad spectrum of bacteria, algae, yeasts, and fungi – including MRSA, Staff, and E.coli.

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