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What Is the Future of Commercial Disinfectants

Posted 06/05/2020 by Chad Loula, Global Market Manager

As countries begin to slowly reopen, extra precautions are being put into place to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19. Since the virus remains active on surfaces anywhere from a few hours to several days, it’s important to continue regularly cleaning and sanitizing spaces. This is easier said than done, though, given the volume of high-traffic areas in most places, as well as the time necessary to keep things extra clean.

In addition to face masks and continued social distancing, businesses will begin to rely more heavily on the regular use of commercial disinfectants to keep germs from spreading.

Global Response

In the Asia Pacific region, there has been a drop in the number of COVID-19 cases, and select areas are starting to reopen public spaces. Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand were among the first to ease their way into relaxing their lockdowns.

7.5 million Hong Kong residents have been or will be provided with reusable face masks as movie theaters, bars, beauty parlors and even schools open back up. South Korea is reopening school for its high school seniors to allow for university entrance exam preparation. Students and teachers are required to wear masks and socially distance from each other, in addition to undergoing revised seating arrangements and mandatory temperature checks. And, as long as social distancing is practiced, Thailand will open its restaurants, hair salons and open-air markets.

Further south, Australia is focused on getting the millions of people who lost their jobs back to work through a three-stage approach, starting with the reopening of cafes, restaurants and retail. The government also is considering reopening the border between Australia and New Zealand, given that infection rates have been considerably reduced.

In Mexico, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador recently signaled that some automotive factories could open in coming weeks. And, in the United States, many places have started to reopen at 25% capacity.

Additionally, health care workers and government officials around the world are implementing large-scale disinfection efforts, which will likely continue to be common practice.

The New Norm

Despite the many reopenings, it’s safe to say that there will be a new norm when it comes to public spaces and gatherings.

  • Airports and Flights: The future of flying is highly sanitized. Passengers can expect to see touchless check-in terminals, in-flight janitors, and possibly thermal disinfecting tunnels, which are being tested in Hong Kong. Extra measures might slow down air travel and add to check-in times, but the end result will be a far more sanitary experience.

     

  • Movie Theaters: While many theaters hope to reopen for the summer, doing so isn’t as simple as opening the doors once again. Audiences are still concerned about being in an auditorium with a group of strangers, so moviegoers can expect to see large restrictions in capacity. Further, employees will need to be trained in strict social distancing and sanitary standards, and auditoriums will probably have to be thoroughly cleaned between screenings (which could cut down on the number of showtimes). Consequently, the need for a fast-acting commercial disinfectant will be paramount to maximizing profits.

     

  • Shopping Malls: To limit the spread of COVID-19 in shopping centers, businesses will operate under limited hours and follow strict protocols – reviewed and approved by both epidemiological and environmental health and safety experts. Limiting hours will allow shopping malls to properly clean, sanitize and disinfect high-touch areas, including handrails, doorknobs, tables and chairs.

Moving Forward

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released guidelines for how business owners should approach reopening their doors, while at the same time, reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by cleaning and disinfection requires careful planning. 

Frequently touched areas, such as light switches and doorknobs, will need to be disinfected more often, using an EPA-registered disinfectant product. Additionally, businesses will need to continue enforcing social distancing amongst customers, encouraging the use of facial coverings, and personally follow proper prevention hygiene (e.g. washing hands frequently or using alcohol-based (at least 60% alcohol) hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available).

Disinfecting with Foster®

Commercial disinfectants will continue to play a pivotal role in the new world post-COVID-19. Foster® 40-80 First Defense™ disinfectant, available in the United States and Canada, has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to SARS & Human Coronavirus on hard, non-porous surfaces and listed on the EPA’s List-N. For more information, visit https://fosterproducts.com/ or contact your Foster representative at 1-800-231-9541.

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