Covid-19 has changed our lives for the moment, and perhaps for the foreseeable future. It has changed the way that we act and communicate with others, as well as where we go and what we can do during these challenging times. One of the industries that have been hit the hardest by this outbreak is the medical and healthcare providers.
With the growing outbreak of the virus, every business, facility, and establishment on the planet that is prone to public gatherings or close social interactions are at risk of becoming a breeding ground for Covid-19. As you may expect, doctors’ offices, specialist care facilities, and other healthcare facilities are some of the highest risk places in the country for contracting the virus. This not only puts patients at a higher risk for spreading the disease but does the same for our physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, PA’s, receptionists, and all other medical staff as well.
To curb the growth of the virus and to do their part in flattening the curve, medical care facilities need to take extra precautions in protecting their patients and their staff against the virus.
Here are some recommendations and notes for how you should be keeping your medical office cleaned during Covid-19. The short answer for this is that you should constantly be cleaning your office, but here are a few recommendations so that you can make a checklist.
Recommended Cleaning Solutions
During these times, you can’t have enough cleaning supplies and sanitizing solutions in your care facility or office. This includes everything from your generic soap and water to EPA-registered household disinfectants and cleaners with bleach.
Educating your Staff and Patients
Before we get into how and how often you should be cleaning your medical office during Covid-19, you need to make sure that everyone in your facility, both patients and staff, are aware of the risks associated with the viruses and the precautions and steps you are taking to keep everyone safe.
The best way to do that is by educating your staff and patients. If you haven’t done this already, make sure that you set aside time to meet with each and every one of your medical team and staff members to educate them on your safety and cleaning policy. They are most likely already aware of the threats the virus imposes, but it isn’t a bad idea to give them a refresher on how they can do their part to keep your facility clean and safe.
You can put up signs around the office to guide and educate your patients to wear a mask, use social distancing, use sanitizer, and wash their hands regularly during their visit to your office.
Using Hand Sanitizer and Washing Your Hands
This brings us to this important point that you should make sure all of your bathrooms, sinks, and public areas are stocked with hand soap and or hand sanitizer. One of the biggest pieces of keeping your medical office safe is through prevention. Making sure that your staff and patients keep their hands clean is going to be one of the best ways that you can prevent the spread of the contamination and spreading of the virus in your office.
Wiping Down Counters and Surfaces
Wiping down counters and services throughout the workday is another one of the best ways to keep your office clean during the outbreak of Covid-19. Make sure that you are using a disinfectant or surface cleaner to wipe down any reception counters, tabletops, desks, and any other surfaces that are getting regular use in your office.
You and your staff should be periodically wiping down any counters, desktops, and tables that are being used by yourself, your staff, or your patients. This will prevent the growth and spreading of the virus in these high-use areas.
Wiping Down Furniture
Furniture is another culprit for surfaces that the virus may cling to. If you have furniture in your waiting room, make sure that you spray them and wipe them down with disinfectant or disinfectant wipes regularly, after your patients use them.
Cleaning High-touch Surfaces
Some of the dirtiest areas of your office are the other high-touch surfaces you often don’t think of like
- Doorknobs.
- Light switches.
- Sinks.
- Faucets.
- Phones
- Keyboards.
- Computer mice
- Even soap and sanitizer dispensers and pumps.
We recommend that you and your staff pay close attention to cleaning each and every one of these services throughout the day as they are used. Once again, this is going to prevent contamination of services and the spreading of the virus.
Cleaning Bathrooms
Bathrooms are another area of your office that you should be disinfecting throughout the day. With the virus being transmitted through airborne particulate matter via coughing and sneezing, you need to be sure that you keep your bathroom clean. Just because a patient sneezes into some tissue or toilet paper and washes their hands after, doesn’t mean they didn’t touch other surfaces in between the time they sneezed and the time they threw their tissue away. Be sure that you are spraying down and cleaning your bathrooms throughout the day.
Cleaning Waiting Rooms and Other Public Areas
Making sure that you are regularly spraying and wiping down the surfaces in your waiting room or waiting area is critical for preventing the spread of Covid-19. Spray down or clean public areas during slow times in the office, and be sure that you are deep cleaning your office when you are closed. One of the best ways to do that is to hire experienced janitorial staff to do that for you.
Conclusion
Holding your office and your staff to the highest possible cleanliness standards during the virus is critical for their safety, your safety, and the safety and health of your patients. Unfortunately, these precautions also take time away from working with the patients that you want to help and serve. If you need assistance in cleaning your medical office, call our Dallas janitorial services experts at Allied Facility Care today so we can be of service to you.
