“Schools must take the fight directly to the source and eradicate
the virus through
stringent cleaning processes.”
Back to School
As the government reopens schools, how can we protect staff and our children from COVID-19? Osprey Deep Clean investigates the best tools for the job.
As COVID-19 slows its pace whilst still posing a constant threat to everybody, global experts remain in the dark over children’s ability to transmit the disease to adults. Despite governments urging schools to reopen, local authorities, parents and many others fear the prospect of welcoming pupils and staff back en masse.
Meanwhile, school officials are scrambling to implement standard cleaning procedures that deliver complete environmental safety. Every responsible stakeholder must go beyond the basic government guidance and choose the right tools to protect everybody who walks in and out of its doors, and the families they go home to.
A mystery to science
Researchers are uncertain how this new coronavirus affects children. One study published by the CDC showed that under-18s accounted for less than 2% of all cases in the USA. When children contract the disease, they usually experience mild symptoms.
While these figures have given our government the confidence to reopen schools, many health officials remain sceptical. There’s a lack of scientific evidence and mixed expert opinions on childrens' ability to transmit the virus to adults, and additionally a small number of kids are seriously affected. Most countries closed schools early so case studies are virtually non-existent.
These reasons dictate that schools take every precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within their buildings. While scientists battle to understand how the virus works, schools must take the fight directly to the source and eradicate the virus through stringent cleaning processes.
48 | EDUCATIONAL AND SCHOOL FACILITIES
Government and WHO guidelines set minimum standards. School officials must strive for excellence in cleaning practices to protect all stakeholders.
Strict, robust cleaning standards
Children’s inquisitive nature and unbridled energy will inevitably lead to them touching many surfaces and objects. Regular cleaning, disinfecting and decontaminating common touchpoints may all be planned, but we know that it’s near impossible to manage thorough manual cleaning processes.
The WHO guidance lists plenty of common touchpoints like lunch tables, sports equipment, doors, railings, toys, etc. Schools are generally big buildings and, once in full flow, the prospect of individually cleaning and then disinfecting every hotspot without missing anything is daunting – especially when cleaners, or untrained teachers, might be expected to run this process multiple times per day.
Another aspect of manual cleaning that creates issues is expecting cleaners to decontaminate unreachable areas. We know COVID-19 transmits when people cough or exhale and infected droplets land on surfaces. If an infected child or teacher coughs into a spot that cleaners can’t reach or see but children can, then the potential for cross- contamination escalates.
Schools must overcome these problems by formulating strict and robust cleaning plans that combine staged manual cleaning through the best technologies on the market, like scrubber driers, vacuums, chemicals and dry steam machines. Plenty of affordable options are available, mitigating worries over tight budgets.
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