School is Back in Session!
School districts in New York State have been given the green light to reopen schools after Labor Day. With this news, schools around the state are gearing up to welcome back staff, teachers, and students. With the threat of COVID-19 still present, it is important to make sure that your facility is prepared to keep everyone safe.
HAND WASHING
Hand washing is still a vital task in coronavirus prevention (and all virus prevention for that matter). Faculty, staff and the school as a whole should continue to educate students on how to properly wash hands and when they should do so. It’s recommended to wash hands…
- Before/after touching eyes, nose, or mouth
- Before eating
- After using the restroom
- After coughing, sneezing, or blowing nose
- After touch garbage
- After touching high-touch point surfaces
Posting signage throughout your facility in restrooms, breakrooms, classrooms, and cafeterias can be helpful reminder for everyone. Here is a quick refresher from the CDC on proper handwashing:
- Wet your hands with water and apply soap
- Lather and scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds
- Helpful tip: Singing “Happy Birthday” twice equals that amount of time
- Make sure you clean the back of your hands, between your fingers and thumbs too!
- Rinse your hands well with water
- Lastly, dry your hands with a paper towel
- Air dryers are not the hygienic choice
We recommend paper towels and not air dryers.
Air dryers can further spread germs, even after use, while paper towels trap bacteria and can easily be disposed. Having a dispensing system that allows for touch-less dispensing is the safest, most efficient option. One-at-a-time dispensing can help decrease the spread of viruses. Paper towels can also be used to prevent cross-contamination between surfaces. Using a paper towel to open doors or switch off lights can further prevent the spread of germs.
But what if washing your hands isn’t an option?
If you are unable to access clean water and soap, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers of 60% alcohol or greater. Sanitizers should also be made available in common areas that have high traffic, or by surfaces with high-touch points, that are used more often. While sanitizers are useful when handwashing is not possible, they do not get rid of ALL types of germs. This is why washing your hands is still recommended.
To keep up with the spike in demand for sanitizers, different types of companies shifted their production to help the nationwide shortage. From the start of this shift, the FDA has closely monitored the ingredients going into these new sanitizers. However recently, they warned against certain imported sanitizers containing harmful ingredients. You can find the full list here.
CLEANING & DISINFECTING
It is important to create guidelines that cover cleaning and disinfecting while also making sure that staff members are trained in these new processes. Wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, facemasks, and face shields must also be part of the guidelines. As schools begin to reopen, it your janitorial staff should be well-equipped with the best hygienic solutions possible. This is where Morcon comes in…
Morcon has a high-quality selection of school janitorial supplies including towels and tissue for any application with both environmental and budget-friendly options. We have paper solutions for all aspects of the school building: offices, classrooms, restrooms, & lunchrooms:
- Hardwound towels
- Jumbo Tissue Rolls
- Small core coreless alternative
- Controlled Towels
- Interfolded Napkins
- Towel Dispensers
- Tissue Dispensers
- Napkin Dispensers
Part of this “new norm” includes disinfecting surfaces that you normally wouldn’t even think about. It may seem tedious to clean and disinfect additional spaces more frequently, but it is necessary in order to keep everyone safe and healthy during these uncertain times. Here are some places to keep in mind:
- Desks/tables
- Phones
- Door handles
- Light switches
- Handrails
- Keyboards
- Chairs
- Toilets
- Soap Dispensers
- Faucets/Sinks
“Back to school” season this year will surely look very different. Safety and wellness will be the center of focus. Promoting safety, wellness, and social distancing can help prevent the spread of COVID-19; a “new norm” that protects yourself and others.
Morcon is committed to helping you prepare schools for reopening. Working with some of our partners, we can provide you with the school janitorial supplies needed to stay ahead of the cleaning game. Give one of our knowledgeable reps a call today at 518-677-8511 or explore our website to learn more about our products and their functions.
