When the pandemic hit, every business enforced stringent procedures to help keep workers and customers safe. Many offices sent their workers home. Vital organizations stayed open and increased how often they disinfected their facilities. In retail stores, disinfectant wipes were next to shopping carts and bottles of hand sanitizer were next to every cash register.
Then, this spring, Covid-19 vaccinations became available. Masks were no longer required indoors for those who were vaccinated. It appeared that an increased effort to disinfect businesses wasn’t necessary.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Here’s a look at two factors that business owners need to consider regarding their disinfecting procedures.
The Delta Variant is Spreading Rapidly
First, how did this variant happen? According to a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Yale Medicine, “All viruses evolve over time and undergo changes as they spread and replicate.” This new mutation of the Covid-19 virus is more than twice as contagious as the previous ones and it’s more likely than the original virus to put infected people in the hospital.
According to the CDC, the 7-day moving average of reported cases in June was around 12,000. By July 27, that number jumped to over 60,000. The number of cases throughout the country is rising. While breakout cases among those who are vaccinated are rare, they do happen.
Possibility of a Difficult Flu Season is Predicted
Last year, more and more people worked from home and stayed away from large gatherings. This not only prevented the transmission of Covid-19 but also reduced the number of people who were infected with seasonal influenza.
While this was good news for the 2020 flu season, it could be bad for this coming year. In a report on CNBC, an epidemiologist explains that if nobody got infected with the flu last year, there are fewer people who will be immune to it this coming winter
. In addition, when young children return to school classrooms this fall, there could be more children with no prior exposure to the flu. This would result in a lower immunity, which could increase the number of those who come down with the flu. If the flu virus does circulate in the population at pre-pandemic levels, it could cause the upcoming flu season to be more severe.
Reducing the Spread of Covid-19 and the Flu
The phrase ‘pandemic fatigue’ describes how people are tired of wearing masks and practicing social distancing. However, the only proven way to reduce the spread of these illnesses is to continue to wear masks indoors, wash hands frequently and disinfect our stores, factories and offices.
Companies who want to do their part to stop the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses count on Bactronx. Our BactroKill product is an EPA registered antimicrobial spray disinfectant. It’s proven to disinfect against Coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) and many other viruses and bacteria. Contact us and learn how Bactronix can disinfect your facility.
