Winter months usually mark the start of flu season, when large numbers of the population are at increased risk of catching viruses such as colds or the flu. Companies often increase hygiene measures to combat this, making hand sanitiser and increased room cleaning a priority.
During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, these simple measures are no longer enough. Not only do the winter months spell the rise of flu and colds, but these viruses are also contending with a higher likelihood of COVID-19.
Consumers are now, more than ever, looking for clear and trustworthy commitments to clean and safe environments. In the SARS-CoV-2 era, a guarantee of good hygiene compliance could become one of the deciding factors when choosing a hotel or a restaurant.
This shows the importance of increasing hygiene measures, particularly during the winter months.
How then can hospitality companies help to reduce the spread of germs, bacteria, and viruses?
Hotel rooms and restaurants are constantly visited by new customers, meaning surfaces are touched by many people. The chance for infectious pathogens to be left on hard surfaces in these environments is high and can be caused by anything from contaminated hands and clothing to items that are brought in and out of the room like mobile devices.
Research has shown that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can remain infectious for up to 28 days on surfaces that people come into almost constant contact with, including glass, banknotes, and stainless steel.
For businesses such as pubs, restaurants, and hotels, as well as hospitals and medical organisations, this highlights the need to properly disinfect surfaces regularly.
In fact, viruses and bacteria could be lurking in:
This means that there’s a lot of surfaces that customers and staff are coming into contact with that might be covered in bacteria, viruses, mould, and other unwanted particles. UV disinfection technology can quickly and efficiently kill viruses, bacteria, and fungus on hard surfaces.
UV light technology can penetrate the cell walls of microorganisms and shatter the DNA, making it impossible for them to grow and reproduce.
From portable air and surface purifiers to installed systems, UV technology can help hospitality companies protect their staff and their customers.
Air cleaning technology has also become extremely advanced and certain purifiers can now destroy airborne pathogens smaller than the COVID-19 virus in just seconds. BSG UV technology, for example, has been shown to destroy 99.999% of respiratory flu-type viruses in less than 0.44 seconds in air.
UV light can be used to disinfect the air as it passes through your HVAC units, limiting the spread of colds, flu, and Coronaviruses and keeping your customers safe. BSG’s automated, chemical-free HVAC disinfection technologies have been designed to eliminate viruses and bacteria from all types of HVAC units.
Alongside routine surface cleaning, air sanitation can help hospitality bodies provide an environment that’s far cleaner than ever before.
Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has created a massive amount of change and disruption across all industries, one of the positive changes in the hospitality sector has been the introduction of new solutions that improve guest safety, confidence, and experience.
Contactless technology such as mobile check-in, mobile keys, and mobile check-out have all been around for years, but recent social distancing guidelines and a greater focus on safety have seen them become an integral part of many hospitality businesses.
Although the hospitality industry has always run on friendly and personal interactions, businesses might have to change and adapt in order to incorporate more contactless practices.
This could include training on how to interact with guests in a new and different way to protect both parties, amped-up social distancing measures, compulsory mask-wearing far into the future, and more.
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The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been difficult for a whole host of businesses, but perhaps the improved guest experience and focus on safety through innovative and necessary technology is a positive side effect.
