R.S.V, more commonly known as Respiratory Syncytial Viruses are on the rise. Everything from colds, to flus to COVID-19 is spreading like rapid fire through the population, causing many people to get sick and miss important school or work commitments. This is what many infection control and medical related facilities are referring to as the convergance of the 3 this fall and winter as more people move inside facilities as a "Tridemic".
Children, in particular, have seen a sharp rise in influenza cases early this year, with pediatric hospitals becoming overwhelmed and straining their resources as a result.
While we can’t eradicate these illnesses (at least not at the moment) we can take precautions to reduce infections from spreading when we’re around other people.
How do R.S.Vs spread?
Primarily, respiratory viruses spread through droplets released into the air when coughing and sneezing. These viruses don’t discriminate, either. Whether you’re a child, adult, or elderly person – if you’re in its path, it will try and infect you.
It’s not just droplets in the air you have to worry about. When you cough or sneeze, droplets can land on your hands. If you then touch a surface, you are leaving infected droplets on that surface. If someone else then touches said surface, they run high risk of being infected.
That causes particular problems when it comes to schools and offices as children and adults alike are forced to share often compact areas for hours at a time. This greatly increases the probability of virus-containing droplets in the air to infect healthy people in the room.
R.S.Vs will always be a threat, at least some degree, so shutting down schools and workplaces indefinitely is not an option. But what can you do to reduce the risk of spreading the infection?
Ways to reduce spreading respiratory viruses in schools and offices
1) Always wash your hands or sanitize after coughing or sneezing
Infected droplets can live on your hand immediately after coughing or sneezing. Make sure to take a quick trip to the washroom to clean your hands or use hand sanitizer.
2) Throw away your used tissues immediately
Like your hands, tissues will hold the virus in droplets for a short while. If you have a habit of leaving used tissues on your desk or table, you’re spreading the infection to the table, making it easier to snowball across the space.
Instead of making a pile of tissues at your workstation, just throw them out, If you don’t want to keep getting up to go to the bin, keep a plastic bag at your desk.
3) Have tissues on hand in key areas
Droplets are more easily contained in tissues than in your hands. So use them! Make sure there is always a box on hand for people to take tissues as needed.
4) Use disinfectant wipes after using communal areas
Make it a habit to wipe down communal areas after use to reduce the risk of the next person becoming infected by your droplets.
5) Use disinfectant sprays at the end of each day
Disinfectant spray is a bit too strong for use during the day as it can cause allergic reactions, but when the last person is leaving, make sure they give the entire room a quick spray!
Protect your space from R.S.Vs
The principal way to protect your space is to educate your staff and set hygiene expectations.
At D.H. Bertenthal & Sons, we provide the key cleaning resources needed to maintain proper hygiene in your facilities, providing the best possible outcomes to protect students, workers, and patrons in your space.