(
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/17/hospital-patients-england-coronavirus-covid-19)
Lifesaving hygiene
James White, Managing Director at Denis Rawlins, discusses the role hygiene plays in healthcare infection control, and why investing in robust cleaning practices is more important as we approach winter.
It’s been a long, challenging year, and with the winter months ahead of us, many are concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. One of the main threats is a second wave of the virus, which could overwhelm already- stretched healthcare settings.
Each year, care homes and hospitals battle against winter- related illnesses, but this year they have the added pressure of coronavirus. The risks are plenty. Not only would a second wave place immense pressure on hospital beds and supplies, but it could also impact staff levels if the virus spirals out of control again in these settings and infects employees and non-COVID patients.
According to a Guardian article from May, up to a fifth of hospitalised COVID-19 patients actually caught the infection whilst there being treated for other illnesses. It turns out that Coronavirus patients, and staff showing no symptoms, were keeping the virus in circulation, creating a vicious cycle of cross infection, amongst other patients and visitors.
This not only confirms just how infectious the virus is, but also the role that the environment plays in transmission, particularly when its inhabitants are vulnerable.
Since it became apparent that hospitals and other healthcare settings were struggling to contain outbreaks, many have adopted strict measures to reduce the number of people on site. Care homes banned visitors and hospitals reduced non-COVID treatments. But as it becomes increasingly clear that we will be living alongside this virus for many months to come, these measures aren’t sustainable and we need to find a way to reintroduce some level of normality, whilst keeping the virus at bay.
Cleanliness and hygiene have long been a priority for healthcare, but the pandemic has really brought into focus just how vital these practices are. In fact, if we have learnt anything, it’s that we need to improve our efforts to ensure they are robust enough to stand up to coronavirus. We cannot afford to rely on traditional cleaning methods, like mopping. We must up the ante and invest in science-based cleaning and surface protection.
52 | HEALTHCARE HYGIENE
We believe that a process-based cleaning regime that brings consistent, repeatable results – with the added protection of an anti-microbial shield – is the only way forward in the COVID- world. We call this the ‘Remove, Improve and Protect’ method.
Remove
Healthcare settings have always regularly mopped and wiped surfaces, but that isn’t enough in today’s world. It’s crucial that any traces of bacteria are removed by adding water and the correct chemistry, in the form of a pure cleaning solution uncontaminated by previous use. With some dwell time and agitation where necessary, high-flow fluid extraction can then be used to take away the used solution, storing it separately for disposal.
Improve
Cleaning with the ‘Remove’ process will show remarkable results, even from first use. Then, every time the process is followed, it further improves the cleanliness of any hard surface. The effectiveness of the cleaning process can also be proven by taking ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) measurements before and after cleaning. Following up with this measurement test not only ensures that surfaces are clean, but gives confidence to the healthcare professionals that their environment is safe.
Protect
Once all dirt has been removed, the final step should always be to protect surfaces with a microbial shield like Zoono Z-71 – a cost-effective, residual polymer-based antimicrobial protection. The solution provides prolonged defence for any treated surface, significantly reducing the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses, and providing a unique, proven, long-lasting safeguard. The solution can be applied to a surface by spraying, wiping or ‘fogging’, leaving behind a mono-molecular layer that permanently bonds to the surface, forming a protective barrier.
www.rawlins.co.uk twitter.com/TomoCleaning
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