As Fairfield Schools and several Wichita schools are going virtual due to COVID-19, all Reno County schools remain vigilant.

On Monday, Haven Schools was notified that an individual at Haven Middle/High School tested positive for COVID-19.

Per a post by superintendent Clark Wedel, the school went through a thorough cleaning and disinfecting process. He is also in contact with the Reno County Health Department and will take the steps necessary to protect the health of the district’s staff and students.

Wedel wrote, “The district is closely monitoring this situation and will notify families if any additional actions need to be taken in the near future.”

In Reno County, as of Jan. 13, the 14-day positive test rate for the area schools was 27%. This includes both staff and students who tested positive.

Hutchinson Public Schools, as of Jan. 14, has 182 individuals from birth through grade 6 who tested positive for the virus. About the same amount, 183, of those in grades 7 through 12 are also positive. The staff rate is 55. 

More:COVID-19 hospitalizations in Hutchinson jump more than 50% from last week

As of Friday, Buhler’s rate is holding at less than 20 individuals. Four students and two staff members at Buhler High School have tested positive for COVID-19, with two students and one staff member testing positive for the virus at Prairie Hills Middle School. Union Valley Elementary School has zero cases, while Plum Creek Elementary School has three and Buhler Grade School has five, including one staff member.

The superintendent for Buhler Schools, Cindy Couchman, wrote on the district’s website, “Please afford us grace as we work to problem-solve this challenge and know that student safety and student learning are at the forefront of our decision-making in these instances. Often, this results in cancelled bus routes, after school activities, and field trips.”

Couchman also asks that students who are not feeling well remain at home. Buhler’s website states the symptoms of COVID-19 and its variants are similar to a cold and influenza and can include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.

There were 218 active clusters in Kansas as of Jan. 14, according to KDHE. More than 360 schools, whose rates include staff and students, have more than 3,900 cases statewide. 

However, the largest clusters remain with long term care facilities, according to KDHE, with more than 1,000 clusters and 18,000 cases. Out of the 2,436 total deaths from COVID-19 as part of clusters, the KDHE reports 2,246 came from nursing homes. Since 2020, there were more than 7,000 deaths in the Sunflower State due to COVID-19, according to KDHE.

More:Health Department changes focus from COVID contact tracing to case investigation, education

The Reno County Health Department reports 199 deaths, starting in 2020, coming from Reno County. As of Jan. 18, there are more than 1,300 active cases in the county. 

The median age of death, statewide, is 77, according to the KDHE, with 78% of those dying with COVID-19 at 55 years old and older. Those aged 45 and older make up 91% of COVID-19 deaths in Kansas. And those 24 and under make up less than 1% of statewide deaths. 

The Reno County Health Department is not testing for COVID-19 at this time. Testing options in the area include:

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Breathing a sigh of relief after Thursday’s Supreme Court stay of a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large employers? Not so fast, legal experts say.

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration “will be evaluating all options to ensure workers are protected from this deadly virus,” Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said Thursday after the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to halt OSHA’s vaccination-and-testing emergency temporary standard, or ETS — which required employers with 100 or more workers to ensure that employees are vaccinated or undergo regular testing and wear masks at work — while challenges play out in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. 

One option could include a new vaccination-and-testing mandate targeting a smaller group of employer types, including senior living and other long-term care providers. But even if a new mandate doesn’t materialize, the Labor Department has indicated that it plans to “vigorously enforce” existing rules, regulations and policies, as well as issue new ones to ensure that employers protect their workers during the pandemic.

More narrow vaccine mandate possible

It appears unlikely that the High Court ultimately would let the current mandate wording stand as-is should it come before justices again, given the majority opinion issued with the stay that OSHA does not have the authority to issue a broad regulation “[r]equiring the vaccination of 84 million Americans, selected simply because they work for employers with more than 100 employees.”

But the court majority appeared to leave the door open for a more tailored rule, writing, “Where the virus poses a special danger because of the particular features of an employee’s job or workplace, targeted regulations are plainly permissible.”

Mark E. Reagan, the managing shareholder of the law firm Hooper, Lundy & Bookman, thinks it is possible that OSHA will return with a narrower rule.

After all, he told McKnight’s Senior Living, the justices were “more comfortable” with and upheld the “more healthcare-focused” rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which affects healthcare workers at federally funded facilities such as nursing homes.

“And it’s clear that OSHA sees that all forms of long-term care are high-risk environments, so they may well take another shot at what it is that was viewed as too broad and outside of their authority and make it more targeted,” said Reagan, who is a member of the American Health Care Association’s Legal Committee and is general counsel to the California Association of Health Facilities and the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, state affiliates of AHCA and the National Center for Assisted Living.

Reagan said that Walsh made a “very aggressive statement” Thursday when he said that “[r]egardless of the ultimate outcome of these proceedings, OSHA will do everything in its existing authority to hold businesses accountable for protecting workers, including under the COVID-19 National Emphasis Program and General Duty Clause.”

Given those words, Reagan said, “I think that you could see them doing something that’s more targeted in nature.”

Todd B. Logsdon, a partner with law firm Fisher Phillips in Louisville, KY, told McKnight’s Senior Living that OSHA may not try to mandate vaccination, but the agency might try to “formalize” the guidance in the NEP and the general guidance about mitigating and preventing the spread of COVID-19 that’s on the OSHA webpage.

Regardless, he said, one message for providers for now is, “Pay attention to what’s in the national emphasis program.”

Healthcare ETS: Gone, but if you’re smart, not forgotten

The labor secretary’s message “doubles down” on what OSHA said in late December when it withdrew part of its separate COVID-19 healthcare ETS, Reagan said. And OSHA’s plan to enforce existing rules, regulations and policies is the more pressing matter for senior living operators. Fortunately, he added, OSHA is “clearly signaling” what it believes employers need to do to be compliant: follow the healthcare ETS, even if most of it has been withdrawn.

OSHA adopted the healthcare ETS in June, requiring assisted living communities and other healthcare settings to conduct hazard assessments and have written plans in place to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. The workplace safety rules also required healthcare employers to provide some employees with N95 respirators and other personal protective equipment. Additionally, the standard included social distancing, employee screening, and cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

The agency withdrew the non-recordkeeping parts of the healthcare ETS in December because it did not think that it could complete a final rule in a timeframe called for by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. But OSHA said it would ​​“work expeditiously to issue a final standard,” and that it would continue to “vigorously enforce the general duty clause and its general standards.”

The “key sentence” in OSHA’s December statement, however, Reagan said he believes, was that the agency “will accept compliance with the terms of the healthcare ETS as satisfying employers’ related obligations under the general duty clause, respiratory protection, and PPE standards.”

“And then they go on to say, ‘Continued adherence to the terms of the healthcare ETS is the simplest way for employers in healthcare settings to protect their employees’ health and ensure compliance with their OSH Act obligations,’ ” he said.

The wording, Reagan said, is OSHA “clearly signaling” … “ ‘Hey, for you to fulfill your general duty statutory obligations, looking at the healthcare ETS that we are withdrawing for rule-making reasons is something that you should do.’ ”

The NEP and the general duty clause

Logsdon, co-chair of Fisher Phillips’ Workplace Safety and Catastrophe Practice Group and a member of its COVID-19 Taskforce, agrees that the guidance on OSHA’s website, the NEP and the healthcare ETS offer a “good roadmap” for senior living providers.

So what exactly are the NEP and the general duty clause that senior living operators should comply with?

“The national emphasis program says, ‘This is the hazard we’re going to address, these are the workplaces where we think this hazard is the biggest problem, this is how we’re going to select these workplaces for inspections about this hazard, and then this is what we’re going to look at when we’re there,” Logsdon said.

OSHA first issued the NEP in March but revised it in July after it issued the healthcare ETS; the healthcare ETS was incorporated into the revised NEP. Some of the points covered by this NEP, Logsdon said, include access, air exchanges, masking and respirators.

The NEP’s purpose is to “ensure that employees in high-hazard industries are protected from the hazard of contracting SARS-CoV-2,” OSHA said. The agency said that “[p]articular attention for on-site inspections will be given to workplaces with a higher potential for COVID-19 exposures, such as hospitals, assisted living, nursing homes and other healthcare and emergency response providers treating patients with COVID19, as well as workplaces with high numbers of COVID-19-related complaints or known COVID-19 cases.”

The NEP also includes “an added focus to ensure that workers are protected from retaliation” for “employees who complain about unsafe or unhealthful conditions or exercise other rights” under the OSH Act.

The program has an expiration date, but “it’s likely to be extended or renewed,” Logsdon said. And because it’s a policy, not a regulation, “they don’t have to ask Congress, and they don’t have to go through rulemaking to do that. …Not to say that it couldn’t be challenged, but it’s going to get challenged more on a case-by-case basis than on a broad approach like ETS was just challenged on,” he added.

The general duty clause, Logsdon said, “is basically a gap-filler. If there’s not a specific regulation on point, the general duty clause says an employer has a duty to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or could cause serious injury or death.”

COVID-19 “clearly” is such a hazard, based on guidance from OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said.

“Then, if they were to issue a citation, they have to say there’s a means of reasonable and feasible abatement available,” Logsdon said. “That’s where they will also point back to the guidance that’s on their webpage, recommendations from the CDC and the information in the national emphasis program to say, ‘These are things you could have done.’ ”

State and local rules a factor

Providers must keep up to date on other laws, regulations or policies that may affect them as well, Reagan said.

“If you have a state-based set of requirements, it’s important to, obviously, figure out what’s going on on the national side, to reconcile what is the more stricter requirement that’s going to be applicable and to the extent that there’s any conflicting requirements,” he said. Counties, cities and towns may have their own requirements, Reagan added.

When requirements conflict, he said, “We try to figure out whether we can reconcile them by working with either the county or the state regulators.” Local officials can be a good place to start because they may be more accessible, Reagan added.

No federal restriction prevents operators from implementing their own vaccine mandates for employees — and indeed, many have done so. But in some instances, state law may limit employer action in this regard.

Twenty-one states and Puerto Rico have state OSHA plans — OSHA-approved workplace safety and health programs operated by individual states — that cover private employers and state and local government workplaces, Logsdon said.

“Whether you’re in a state plan state or a federal OSHA state, generally speaking, employers can go ahead and have a vaccine mandate,” he said, “but some states have passed some laws that really put some restrictions on employers’ ability to do that, so you want to know what’s going on in the state where you’re operating it.”

The Fisher Phillips website has “heat maps” showing the states where private employers can and cannot mandate employee vaccination or require employees to wear masks, Logsdon said.

Next steps?

So what is OSHA’s next step?

“I think that they’re probably just going to try to figure out what’s their path forward in the ways that they think that they can do something that passes muster in terms of the Supreme Court’s decision,” Reagan said. “And then the question really becomes, how far do they go, and does it get challenged or not challenged depending on what they do?”

And what should providers’ next step be?

“To the extent OSHA is going to increase enforcement activity, healthcare, including assisted living, is going to be in the crosshairs,” Logsdon said. Senior living providers, therefore, “should prepare as if OSHA could and will show up,” he added. Working to prevent an OSHA citation, Logsdon said, should also prevent other potential liabilities.

For more information

OSHA resources for providers:

Fisher Phillips resources:

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

The Cuban government has announced new protocols against the Covid-19 pandemic as the overall infection tally has surpassed the grim 1 million mark.

The Caribbean nation on Monday registered 3,306 confirmed cases and one more virus-related death, taking the national counts to 1,002,499 and 8,341 respectively, said the Health Ministry.

At present, there are 17,443 active Covid-19 cases across the country, 41 of them being treated in intensive care units.

The Ministry said the Omicron variant is becoming predominant across the country as daily infections are projected to climb until the end of February.

In the face of the surge, health authorities have prioritized in-home care to ease the strain on hospitals.

Children under the age of two years, people with severe symptoms of the disease, and those living with underlying medical conditions will be hospitalised.

In addition, people who are not fully vaccinated as well as pregnant and post-partum women will be hospitalized after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

Asymptomatic Covid-19 cases and those reporting mild symptoms must self-isolate at home for one week under regular epidemiological monitoring from the neighborhood doctors’ offices.

The new protocols also include the administration of preventive medication to senior citizens and other vulnerable groups.

Local governments have called for reinforcing cleaning and disinfecting procedures at schools, nursing homes, and psychiatric hospitals to reduce the chance of potential transmission.

International travellers are now required to show proof of vaccination and a negative result of a polymerase chain reaction test taken within 72 hours before arrival.

In addition, all passengers from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique must stay at designated quarantine hotels for a week at their own expense.

So far, over 87 per cent of the country’s population has been fully inoculated with home-grown vaccines, and more than 3.5 million Cuban nationals have received booster shots.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

KINGSPORT — Petworks Animal Services has been closed the past three days due to COVID-19 exposure of three employees, Tom Parham, president of the shelter’s board, told the Times News.

Parham said Petworks officials closed the shelter to the public out of an abundance of caution once it was clear some of its dozen or so employees knew they had been exposed to the virus.

Parham said he also tested positive for COVID-19, despite being fully vaccinated, but his symptoms so far have been mild and as of Monday afternoon he was feeling on the mend.

The employees who tested positive also were fully vaccinated, Parham said.

The goal of the shelter closure, announced on social media and on signs posted on the facility’s front doors, is twofold, Parham said: reduce the chance of spread of COVID-19 among employees (which would further hamper the shelter’s ability to operate); and, foremost, protect the public.

“We appreciate the public’s patience as we get through this,” Parham said. “We could reopen as early as (Tuesday), but only if it appears safe to do so. And everyone should know the animals are still being cared for by some staff and the volunteers who help us every day to disinfect the shelter, feed the animals and spend time with the animals.”

Parham said each animal gets attention at least twice a day, including turns outside to play in fenced run areas.

And the shelter is fully stocked with a wide selection of adoptable dogs and cats, Parham said, noting those in search of a pet can browse dogs and cats available from Petworks on the shelter’s website.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Some restaurants in Huntington Beach and Newport Beach are part of a group that are suing Farmers Insurance, alleging the company breached contracts and didn’t compensate them for losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Jan. 4 includes Black Trumpet Bistro Tapas and Wine Bar and Capone’s Italian Cucina of Huntington Beach, both owned by Chef Dino Ferraro. Newport Beach-based Fly N Fish Oyster Bar and Grill, on the Balboa Peninsula, is also part of the suit, as are Starrs Products of Santa Clarita, Centerpark Cafe of San Diego and NJND LLC, a San Diego restaurant and retail property.

The complaint, filed by three San Diegolaw firms, seeks unspecified damages and demands a jury trial. A follow-up document, filed Tuesday, states the plaintiff anticipates the case will become part of a civil case involving Farmers COVID-19 business cases.

The suit alleges that denials of insurance claims by Farmers Insurance during the pandemic “leave plaintiffs in dire financial straits — precisely the situation they sought to avoid when they obtained coverage for loss of business income.”

“Facing serious financial harm, plaintiffs made claims with Farmers seeking coverage for their business income losses and extra expenses,” the complaint reads. “But, despite collecting premiums for such risks, Farmers swiftly denied each claim with little or no investigation and without due regard for the interests of insureds. In fact, coverage was often denied by a Farmers claim representative over the telephone at the time the claims were reported.”

On April 14, 2020, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a notice requiring insurance companies and other department licensees to comply with their contractual, statutory, regulatory and other legal obligations and fairly investigate all business interruption claims caused by COVID-19.

Farmers director of media relations Luis Sahagun said in an email that the company generally does not comment on specific litigation. However, he added in a statement that Farmers understands how difficult COVID-19 has been for communities and local businesses across the country.

“Out of fairness to all policyholders, our obligation is to pay those claims covered under our policies and to apply policy exclusions where they exist,” Sahagun said in the email. “In this circumstance, the claim for COVID-19 related damages, including those resulting from governmental stay-at-home orders, is not covered under the policy and is subject to applicable policy exclusions.”

The complaint, however, states that Farmers chose not to include a specific exclusion for a pandemic. It acknowledges the polices include an exclusion of loss due to virus or bacteria, but argues that the restaurants’ losses were caused by precautionary measures taken by California’s state and local officials to prevent the spread of COVID-19, not the presence of coronavirus on the plaintiffs’ properties.

According to the suit, the Black Trumpet and Capone’s had paid insurance premiums to Farmers for about a year and a half and had about 24 and 36 employees, respectively, before the pandemic. Fly N Fish had paid premiums for more than six years and had about 38 workers.

Ferraro, the owner of the two Huntington Beach restaurants, told the Los Angeles Times in December 2020 that he had more than $100,000 in back rent owed at the time, when a stay-at-home order was put in place that shut down outdoor dining. He had spent thousands of dollars deep-cleaning and disinfecting both businesses.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

On her birthday last week, my daughter celebrated like any 25-year-old living at home with her parents during a pandemic might. I will now take your questions.

Q: How did she celebrate?

A: She taught my husband and me a card game, which is at least better than how we celebrated last year.

Q: What did you do last year?

A: We made soap.

Q: So, what card game did you learn?

A: It’s called Cards. Or in the original Spanish, Cartas. Jane learned it in Mexico.

Q: Wait. The card game is called Cards?

A: According to Jane, yes. According to the internet, it was invented in the mid-1800s in Latin America and is considered the father of modern rummy. According to my husband, rummy is more fun.

Q: You’re researching card game history these days?

A: Look, we’re in the third year of a pandemic, OK? We live for “Supernanny” reruns. At this point, Mexican card game research is the kind of activity that passes for an immersive cultural learning experience.

Q: What else did you learn?

A: When you invent one of your country’s first card games, OF COURSE you call it Cards. And OF COURSE, a card game from 1850 is not going to be as good as a card game today. I mean, who still uses their 1850 iPhone? People are always making things better. That is how life works!

Q: For example? 

A: Consider the pandemic.

Q: The pandemic?

A: Sure. When the pandemic started, it was like someone gave us all a new deck of cards with no instructions. No one knew what to do with them.

Q: Go on.

A: Pretty soon, scientists stepped in and taught us some rules. Stand six feet apart. Wear a mask. Disinfect your groceries.

Q: Oh yeah. What happened to that last one?

A: Ever heard of the Edsel?

Q: What’s your point?

A: My point is, with new things, you learn as you go. Some people played by science’s rules. Others made up their own. Either way, no one was having much fun. Then came Pandemic 2.0.

Q: Pandemic 2.0?

A: It was just like the original Pandemic, only with a vaccine. In card game vernacular, it’s like when the Mexican game of Cards evolved into rummy. Many people liked the rules of the new game better and happily played along. But other people, well, apparently some people just don’t like cards.   

Q: And now?

A: Now we’ve entered Pandemic 3.0: the Omicron edition. It’s like the fun, kid-friendly version of gin rummy that you’ve played over and over so many times that you’re frankly getting a little tired of it. But it’s still better than, you know, injecting horse dewormer.

Q: Will this game ever end?

A: Eventually, sure.

Q: But when?

A: That’s the wild card.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Arizona doctor says people with mild COVID-19 symptoms can be treated at home

Hospitals are filling up across the country as a result of the omicron surge, but a doctor says not everyone who caught COVID should go to the hospital. FOX 10’s Irene Snyder reports.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Health facilities on the Navajo Nation are increasing the ability to test for COVID-19 and vaccinate people as the omicron variant spreads, tribal leaders said.

Navajo President Jonathan Nez said the facilities also are working to give out more home testing kits this month while cases are surging.

“We must remain diligent, keep our guard up at all times, especially in public, and do more to encourage our loved ones to get fully vaccinated and a booster shot,” Nez said in a statement on Jan. 16.

The tribe reported 179 additional cases of the coronavirus on Sunday. The death toll remains at 1,600. A full report with total case counts during the pandemic will be available Tuesday, the tribe said.

MORE: Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers

The omicron variant spreads much more easily than other coronavirus strains. However, early studies show omicron is less likely to cause severe illness than the previous delta variant.

The 27,000 square-mile Navajo Nation extends into Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

MORE: What is Flurona? More cases pop up of people catching flu and COVID-19 at the same time

Arizona COVID-19 resources, FAQ: azdhs.gov/coronavirus

In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Monitor your health daily

What is coronavirus?

From how it spreads to where it originated, here’s a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion.

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu. 

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

RELATED: Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? Different viruses present similar symptoms

To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.

And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms – don’t go straight to your doctor’s office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.

More COVID-19 in Arizona news

Tune in to FOX 10 Phoenix for the latest news:

SIGN UP FOR FOX 10 PHOENIX EMAIL ALERTS

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

How have your home to-do lists fared over the last few years? While home projects were top of mind for many when we started this COVID journey, ever-changing protocols, supply chain challenges and other issues have bumped many of those goals down the list.

Today, as we remain closer to home, with our houses continuing to do double-duty as work spaces, deep cleaning can’t wait any longer. Good thing is that with all the services offered by COIT Cleaning and Restoration Services, Nanaimo’s local experts are here to help!

“Having a clean home has always been important for people, but right now it’s more important than ever. Without using state-of-the-art equipment, a lot of people don’t realize how much ‘dirt’ and soiling gets left behind,” notes COIT General manager Irene Barlas-Rimar. “We’ve been doing this for the last 70 years and feel that we are the experts at what we do. We have everything you need to ensure we clean, sanitize and disinfect your carpets, upholstery and tiles, whether in your home or business.”

The longtime family business offers a range of services that provide peace of mind during the pandemic.

Better yet, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 – COIT’s IICRC-certified technicians perform industry-standard cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting in all home and work spaces, leaving them clean, fresh and even looking like new!

Why do they combine all three applications? Cleaning alone doesn’t kill germs but removes surface dirt and embedded debris, Barlas-Rimar explains. Sanitizers are used to kill 99.9 per cent of surface bacteria and disinfectants will tackle a wider range of germs and bacteria.

A deep clean for all area of your home

If you’re looking to clean your tile or change up your grout, COIT has developed an exclusive COIT Clean and Colour Seal process for porous surfaces that can’t be cleaned using the three-step approach alone. The COIT professionals clean your tiles and add your colour of choice to the grout by applying a new colour or one that restores your grout to its original state – followed by sealing it.

This process provides a barrier between grout and dirt, prolonging the life of the surface. It’s a low-commitment, low-cost solution that won’t have you dealing with the cost of a floor renovation or the hassle of construction noise against the background of Zoom calls!

Why It’s Important

The WHO and the CDC have recognized the importance of a clean environment in controlling the spread of COVID. The health and safety of COIT’s customers is a top priority, and so they continue to follow all recommended protocols provided by these health organizations while performing the most required and requested cleaning services to keep you safe and clean.

Book your cleaning appointment today

Book your free in-home estimate now while promotions last! To schedule your zero-contact service appointment, call COIT Cleaning and Restoration Services at 1-877-584-2648 or visit them online at ca.coit.com/nanaimo.

Home Improvement

 

COIT’s Tile and Grout Clean and Colour Seal can help your tile surfaces look like new.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

In order to shed some light on the authenticity of some of disinfectant claims, GK-GermKiller® consulted the resident cleaning expert, Ms Francia Solis.

SINGAPORE, January 17, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — This is part 2 of the article on common disinfectant myths.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, people are increasingly gaining awareness on the importance of practising good hygiene. The use of disinfectants and sanitisers has become an essential part of the everyday fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

However, as the interest in disinfectants rises, various disinfectant marketing stints with unsubstantiated claims start to spread as quickly as the virus. With a lot of dubious disinfectant claims and promises going around, one might be unsure as to the trustworthiness of the information they come across.

In order to shed some light on the authenticity of some of these claims, GK-GermKiller® consulted the resident cleaning expert, Ms Francia Solis, Head of Singapore’s COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfection Industry Task Force and Senior Chemist of Vance Chemicals to debunk the most recent and important myths around disinfectants.

Previously, these common misconceptions were addressed:

Myth #1: All disinfectants are the same
Myth #2: “Food-grade” disinfectants/sanitisers can be ingested OR applied directly on food
Myth #3: Self-disinfecting coating lasts 3 months so there is no need to keep disinfecting/sanitising.
Myth #4: Bleach is the best product for disinfecting

Myth #5: All products with the recommended active ingredients against COVID-19 are effective

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, government health authorities were quick to release a list of active ingredients to look for which are effective against COVID-19. Many disinfectant companies made use of the list, quickly jumped on the bandwagon and introduced new ‘disinfectants’ to meet the surging demand. Especially in countries without strict regulations governing the sales and distribution of disinfectants, many brands emerged on the shelves with unsubstantiated claims. Unfortunately, many consumers believed that the disinfectants would be effective as long as they were using active ingredients listed on government websites.

There are many factors and compounds contributing to the effectiveness of antibacterial agents. That is why manufacturers and health authorities recommend disinfectant companies to send their disinfectants for tests and certifications.

GK-Germkiller® disinfectants were formulated in 2012 and have since been decked with test reports to support efficacy and safety claims. Even before COVID-19, GK Surface has already been tested against Human Coronavirus 229E which was the surrogate strain of COVID-19. As soon as the lab tests on the actual strain of COVID-19 were available, the GK products were sent to the US for testing by an accredited lab – the first in Singapore.

Myth #6: A Chemical-free Disinfectant is the safest for your family

‘Chemical-free’ is a marketing term broadly-used to imply that a product is safe, healthy or environmentally friendly because it only contains natural ingredients. The truth is, a chemical-free disinfectant does not exist, as all substances and objects are made up entirely of chemicals and energy. Using a generic, sweeping term such as “chemical-free” is very inaccurate, as it promotes a fear or aversion to chemicals (chemophobia) and misleads consumers, instead of properly educating them.

Most users might skip reading up on the actual ingredients of a product simply because it is labelled with a “chemical-free” term. As a result of that, their understanding of legitimate risks behind the product use is clouded.

GK-Germkiller® has been used and trusted by many childcare centres and airlines for years. With biodegradable formulation, GK-Germkiller® disinfectants were tested for health effects in accordance with OECD Standards to ensure users’ safety. The results show that GK-Germkiller® disinfectants are suitable for daily use, as they are non-toxic and will not cause any irritation when used as recommended.

Myth #7: There is NO need to disinfect daily

Gone are the days where we only cleaned surfaces once a week. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that viruses can survive for days at a time. There is a need to maintain a disinfecting regime daily, be it at home, in the office, or wherever people gather. Instead of engaging professionals to disinfect a home, one can count on GK-Germkiller® to address every household disinfectant need. Not only are the disinfectants certified hospital-grade, they are also proven to be effective against a wide range of bacteria and germs.

Spray and wipe GK Surface™ on high-touch areas like door knobs, light switches and countertops. Freshen your room while killing odour-causing bacteria by spraying GK Air™. When headed outdoors, make sure to carry GK Surface Wipes™ and wipe tables, food trays or chairs before using them. A few minutes a day can make such a huge difference in protecting loved ones.

Reduce risks and protect loved ones

There is a great need for brands and companies to be more transparent about their products. GK- Germkiller® prides itself in being transparent to its users. All information such as product safety data sheets (SDS), test reports and any claim substantiation is readily available upon request.

Lim Swee Cheng
Vance Chemicals Pte Ltd
+65 6863 0863
email us here

You just read:

News Provided By

January 17, 2022, 09:47 GMT

EIN Presswire’s priority is source transparency. We do not allow opaque clients, and our editors try to be careful about weeding out false and misleading content.
As a user, if you see something we have missed, please do bring it to our attention. Your help is welcome. EIN Presswire, Everyone’s Internet News Presswire™,
tries to define some of the boundaries that are reasonable in today’s world. Please see our
Editorial Guidelines
for more information.

Submit your press release

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

by Kate Evans

Amid a national spike in COVID cases, local viral infections rose in Morgan County again last week, hitting 216 active cases on Monday. Another four county deaths were attributed to the virus last week.

The highly-infectious respiratory virus  also hit vulnerable residents in the local nursing home. The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported a new COVID-19 outbreak at Stonerise HealthCare’s Berkeley Springs Center on their Monday COVID dashboard.

There are 10 reported active cases of COVID-19 in Stonerise Berkeley Springs Center residents and five active COVID-19 cases in staff, with three recovered staff listed.

The Stonerise HealthCare website showed there were 14 positive cases of COVID-19 in its Berkeley Springs Center residents as of Monday morning.  The facility has 91 residents at present.

War Memorial Hospital’s Extended Care Facility had one active COVID-19 case in a resident and one recovered COVID-19 case in staff reported on Monday on the Health and Human Resources COVID-19 dashboard.

Active & new cases, deaths

Morgan County’s number of active COVID-19 cases now stands at 216 cases as of Monday, January 10. There were four more county deaths from COVID-19 reported last Friday, which brings the total to 57 Morgan County COVID-19 deaths.

As of Monday, January 10, there were 241 new cases of COVID-19 in Morgan County.  There were 185 new cases of COVID as of Friday, January 3.

Cumulative cases, vaccinations

Morgan County has had 2,785 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 489 cumulative probable cases of the virus-a total of 3,274 COVID cases as of Monday, January 10. Some 3,001 county residents have recovered from COVID-19.

Some 31.9% Morgan County residents are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Around 10.5% of residents have gotten their COVID-19 booster shot.

Some 10.53% of children age 5-11 are considered fully vaccinated with the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.

Morgan County transmission of COVID-19 remains at the high level.  Masks will be required indoors and on buses the week of January 10, said school officials.

For Morgan County, a low transmission level of new cases is 0-1.99 cases; moderate is 2-9.9 cases; substantial is 10-19.99 cases and high is 20+ cases.

CDC recommendations

Wear a face mask indoors in public places to protect yourself and others when county COVID-19 transmission rates are at high or substantial levels.

Keep six feet away from others, avoid large gatherings, wash your hands frequently, clean and disinfect frequently used items and surfaces, stay home when sick and get vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu.  Get your COVID-19 booster shot as soon as possible.

 

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here