COVID-19 lockdowns in Europe vary from country to country. In March, some countries are beginning to ease certain restrictions. In some areas, for example, non-essential shops are reopening their doors again. However, if the number of infections starts to increase, there is a risk of new lockdowns being put in place.
Hygiene is more important than ever
How long we will enjoy the new freedom depends on how seriously we take the recommended hygiene measures. Because as long as we have not achieved a herd immunity, hygiene still is the only way to fight against the Coronavirus. What precautions can traders take to increase the likelihood that the doors of their shops and stores will remain open?
For example:
- Stores should be laid out to allow customers to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 m between each other
- Restrictions on the number of customers permitted in stores, depending on the size of the sales area
- Mandatory wearing of FFP2 masks by customers and personnel
- Controlled access to the shop
Why hand sanitising is crucial
Hand sanitising is also extremely important. It is true that the virus mostly spreads from person to person when a person with COVID-19 coughs or sneezes. However, the respiratory droplets are too heavy to remain airborne, and they may land on objects and surfaces in shops, causing those surfaces to become contaminated.[1] If you touch a contaminated surface in a shop or store and then touch your face, there is a risk of infection.[2]
Research has shown that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can remain viable for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel, up to 4 hours on copper, and up to 24 hours on cardboard.[3] The amount you touch your face may also surprise you, with one study of medical students suggesting we touch our faces on average 23 times an hour.[4] Washing or sanitising your hands after touching surfaces reduces the risk of contamination.
Which dispenser system is the right one?
As hygiene experts, our recommendation is to place hand sanitiser dispensers at entrances and exits in shops, where they can be easily seen by customers. PURELL ADX dispensers offer exceptional reliability, easy maintenance, and a design that looks good in any environment. Our high capacity 1200mL PURELL dispenser is ideal for high traffic areas like shops and stores. Meanwhile, the large sight window, skylight and crystal-clear refill bottles make it easy to check fill status in all PURELL and GOJO dispensers.
Stay healthy!
[1] Ong SWX, Tan YK, Chia PY, et al. Air, Surface Environmental, and Personal Protective Equipment Contamination by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) From a Symptomatic Patient. JAMA. 2020;323(16):1610–1612. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.3227
[2] World Health Organization. COVID-19 and food safety: guidance for food businesses. Interim guidance. 7 April 2020. WHO-2019-nCoV-Food_Safety-2020.1-eng.pdf
[3] van Doremalen N, Bushmaker T, Morris DH et al. Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1. N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar 17. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2004973
[4] Yen Lee Angela Kwok, Jan Gralton, Mary-Louise McLaws. Face touching: A frequent habit that has implications for hand hygiene.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2014.10.015
