Precautions for the Coronavirus

Update February 24, 2020

This article was originally published January 27. At that time, the coronavirus was just becoming world news. In less than a month, COVID-19 has infected over 80,000 people and over 2,600 have died due to complications of the virus. Just as one country begins to feel the surge slow, the virus is able to make its way onto a cruise ship or trickle into another country and the entire process begins again. Businesses have been closed for weeks or months, the global travel industry has lost billions and there is still so much that is still unknown about COVID-19. The ripples of Chinese shutdowns and quarantines are having detrimental effects on large and small economies. Supply chains of the world’s biggest tech companies, retailers and carmakers have been impacted by shortages and shutdowns. Oxford Economics predicts a global coronavirus pandemic could cost the global GDP $1 trillion.

As you navigate your way through all this, remember that keeping your employees informed and your facility clean and disinfected should be your top priorities.

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As of January 27, over 2,700 people in more than a dozen countries have been infected by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The health minister of China has also reported that the coronavirus is increasing in virulence and now could be contagious even before people exhibit symptoms, making apparently healthy people possible carriers.

A scientific assessment that was reported by The Washington Post showed the spread of the disease via map. They reported that scientists are assuming an optimistic 90 percent quarantine, however, they still predict more than 59,000 infections and 1,500 deaths — twice the toll of the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak.

So, what can you do to protect your facility, employees and occupants from this highly contagious virus, as well as other viruses like the flu and the norovirus? Flagship worked with our cleaning expert partner, Diversey, to help explain the basics of infection control and how you can apply them to your facility.