As your janitorial service provider, we appreciate the trust you place in us and our people on a daily basis. In the current environment, it’s important for all of us to be vigilant in our best practices regarding cleaning and hygiene. That’s why we want to personally update you on the situation with COVID-19 (the coronavirus) and the increased efforts we are taking to ensure the health and safety of our staff, as well as yours, and the greater Chattanooga public we both serve.
As of March 11, 2020, there are 23 confirmed active cases in Georgia and 7 confirmed active cases in Tennessee. There are no virus cases in our surrounding area; however, to ensure our practices are effective against the COVID-19 situation, we are continually monitoring the latest information from a variety of sources including the CDC and WHO. Our focus is on the fact that COVID-19 is able to survive outside the body on metal, glass or plastic surfaces for 5-10 days, which makes disinfecting important. It is very likely we will see this virus reach our area in the coming weeks. We want you to be prepared.
While the total number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. is only 1,050 as of today, experts expect this number to grow as testing increases and more individuals seek care. Currently, the key recommendations from public health agencies to prevent the spread of coronavirus are regular, thorough, hand washing, cleaning of high touch surfaces and that symptomatic individuals remain home rather than going to work or school. We understand that many times as you serve the public, having people with signs of respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms in your facility is out of your control. As your janitorial service provider, I want to inform you that I have directed our custodial staff to take extra care and precautions when cleaning in our scope of work throughout your facility using products in line with CDC recommendations.
We are committed to providing you with information you need to make informed decisions around your facility concerning this epidemic. We also understand the need for flexibility based on your individual circumstances. Please let us know if your facility will implement varied operating hours or closures due to the spread of this virus and how we can help you care for your staff and customers.
In addition, we are available to schedule deeper cleans of your entire facility. Rest assured, your scope of work already includes common high touch areas: handrails, light switches, desks, computers, bathrooms, door handles and many other surfaces that your staff may come in contact with on a regular basis, but let us know should you desire to adjust the frequency your current services.
Should you prefer a longer-term solution, we also have an EPA registered and FDA approved antimicrobial coating system called MicroShield 360 that PREVENTS 90+ known pathogens, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, from living on any treated surface for one year from date of application. This would give your facility constant residual protection between cleanings that works while people are in the facility. Application and curing of the treated surfaces can be completed in only a few hours. We would be happy to send you more information and talk with you about how MS360 will give your customers more confidence in doing business with you during this time of heightened awareness. Learn more here.
Your trust in System4 of Chattanooga as a valued partner in your business is not taken for granted and is our highest priority. We look forward to discussing how we can come alongside you to put together a cleaning & disinfection plan for your facility. Please contact us directly with any questions or concerns at 423-718-1917.
Also, see below CDC page links for the most current information on the viral threat in the U.S.:
What You Should Know for risk assessments and updates.
Prevention and Treatment for basic hygiene and health measures.
Hospital and Physician Clinical Guidance for treatment facilities.
Johns Hopkins has a COVID-19 Information page.
If you are interested in a country-by-country realtime database on the spread and toll of COVID-19, that is being tracked at the Johns Hopkins coronavirus interface.