The virus is responsible for 685
million cases globally each year and new
strains emerge every two to four years.
dispensers should be designed to avoid the risk of cross-contamination. For example, all Tork hand towel dispensers are designed to minimise the risk of users coming into contact with either the next portion of towel or the dispenser itself.
and elderly residents are particularly vulnerable to illness.
But the most recent spate of cases has proved that it can strike anywhere at any time and – in the case of the International Athletics Championships – to the healthiest of people. And all three of the outbreaks mentioned occurred in leisure or hospitality venues.
The norovirus can survive outside the body for several days which makes it all too easy to pick up in public places where people gather together, according to the NHS. This means that guests in hotels, restaurants and on cruise ships are potentially at risk.
Norovirus can be caught by breathing in small particles from the air or by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. And it can also be contracted by eating foods that have been contaminated by an infected person who has failed to wash their hands.
So to avoid picking up the virus, key advice from the NHS is to wash the hands frequently and thoroughly using soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food.
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Leisure and hospitality venues have a duty to ensure that their washrooms are clean, hygienic and well stocked with user-friendly hand hygiene facilities. And this is particularly true of staff wash stations since the norovirus can be spread via prepared food.
Hand hygiene should be quick and easy for the food preparation staff of a hotel, restaurant or cruise ship. Sinks should be plentiful and soaps should be supplied in hygienically- sealed cartridges since bulk-fill soap systems could lead to the soap being contaminated before use. For example, all Tork foam, liquid and spray soaps come in tightly-sealed cartridges.
Disposable hand towels are a good hand drying option since the friction used to dry the hands physically removes bacteria from the skin. They also dry the hands more quickly than air dryers which means busy staff are more likely to dry their hands thoroughly when using a paper towel.
Long-lasting systems that can be easily topped up will reduce the risk of soap and paper running out during busy service periods. And hand towel
In susceptible environments such as hospitals and cruise ships it has become the practice to locate sanitiser dispensers in strategic positions for use by visitors and guests. However while these are an excellent supplement to hand washing, alcohol sanitisers are ineffective against some infections and viruses – the norovirus among them. NHS advice is therefore to avoid reliance on hand sanitisers and to wash the hands instead using soap and water.
Any contaminated items such as kitchen utensils, dishes, clothing and bedding should be washed on the hottest possible setting and sharing of towels and flannels should be avoided, according to the NHS.
In some situations it can be impossible to avoid catching the norovirus. If one happens to be seated close to an infected person in a restaurant it will probably be unavoidable, for example because both diners will be breathing in the same air. And falling ill is also a virtual certainty if one consumes a dish that has been prepared by a sufferer who has failed to wash their hands.
But by practising impeccable hand hygiene in hospitality or leisure facilities and by washing and drying the hands after coming into contact with frequently-touched objects such as door handles and light switches, we can dramatically reduce the risk of coming down with this debilitating illness.
www.tork.co.uk LEISURE & HOSPITALITY | 43
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