Cleanlink News October 22 2009
Hotels Challenged By H1N1
During his 29 years with the Iowa Lodging Association, Craig Walter hasn't seen anything like it. According to Sioux City (Iowa) Journal reports, the amount of information and the weekly health bulletins concerning the H1N1 flu virus that are being distributed to the hotel industry is unrivaled by any other past health concern.
"Our national association is weekly sending out information to update them and steps they can take," said Walter, Iowa Lodging Association executive vice president.
With guests coming from all parts of the country, hotels face the challenge of keeping rooms and other facilities as clean as possible to prevent the spread of H1N1 and other viruses. It's a task that they're used to. Flu season is an annual concern.
"It's something we see every year," said Cammy Riege, general manager of Hampton Inn and Suites. "It's pretty much daily practice. At this time of year, we step up procedures like cleaning door handles."
Keeping H1N1 from spreading can be as simple as extra washing of door handles, wiping down high-traffic areas like the front desk counter and having staff members wash their hands frequently, Walter said.
Todd Frush, manager at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, said that last fall his housekeeping department switched from terry cloth rags to microfiber cleaning cloths. The microfiber cloths pick up more dust and other particles than the old rags. After each room is cleaned, the housekeepers break out clean cloths for the next room in an effort to prevent cross-contamination.
One key to controlling the spread of H1N1 may not be focusing on the guests. It's making sure hotel workers don't report to work when they're sick.
Frush said his housekeeping staff, too, is used to dealing with flu and other health issues every year. H1N1 has been challenging because there's so much information in the news that it can become overwhelming and confusing.
Experts offer tips on preventing the spread of the H1N1 virus:
• Disinfect common surfaces such as telephones, keyboards and door handles at least once a week
• Make sure anyone with flulike symptoms stays home
• Conduct routine cleaning and disinfection
• Encourage employees wash their hands regularly
• Disinfect frequently-touched hard surfaces at least once a week (H1N1 is thought to survive on surfaces for as long as eight hours)
• Use a neutral detergent and disinfectant solution on all hard surfaces, including hand rails, door knobs and handles, elevator buttons, countertops, windowsills, light switches, equipment controls, vending machines, cabinet and file-drawer pulls, chair arms, toilet flushes and copy- and fax-machine controls
• Make disinfectant solutions or wipes available to employees to sanitize surfaces that they touch frequently, including telephones, microphones, radios and hard hats
• Place sanitizing solution or wipes in company vehicles for use on steering wheels and gear shifts
• Provide antibacterial hand-washing solutions, such as hand sanitizers, in common areas including break rooms, restrooms, lobbies, cafeterias, waiting rooms, copy rooms and training areas.
