Australian Norovirus Now Spreading Through U.S.

NEW YORK — A new strain of norovirus, first identified in Australia and dubbed the Sydney Strain, is now spreading throughout the U.S., according to Time.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting that the strain, technically termed GII.4 Sydney, is the current leading cause of norovirus outbreaks in the U.S., and accounted for more than 50 percent of all cases of the infection for the month of December, the article stated.

According to the article, this new strain was identified in March 2012 and has been sickening people on several continents; the CDC does say, however, that it is too early to determine whether or not this new strain is infecting people at a higher rate than previous years.

While there are currently no treatments for norovirus, Dr. John Treanor, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and a group of scientists are in the process of testing a vaccine, developed by LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, that contains a part of the norovirus' outer layer, which they hope will generate a strong immune response in those who get immunized, the article noted.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Paper Towels Versus Hand Dryers

A predicament of personal preference for removing moisture from hands.

  For the 71 percent of Americans that a recent survey from SCA Tissue says actually wash after using the restroom — not just the quick rinse-and-dash, that doesn’t count — a solution is needed for removing moisture from their hands.
Hotels and high-end boutiques don’t much factor into this discussion because they tend to have linens to complete the handwashing process.
However, in other commercial locations like educational institutions, healthcare facilities and government-affiliated, state-owned or municipality-run complexes, staffs and other building occupants know the pros and cons of an age-old issue have been weighed out: Paper towels versus hand dryers.
After visiting handwashing stations or restrooms, their hand drying option — paper towels of various fiber contents, hand dryers in numerous configurations or the option of both — hinges on an important conversation that every individual in a supervisory or managerial level has had or absolutely needs to have with key personnel in the custodial, janitorial or maintenance department.
The predominant pair of problem-solvers presiding over this predicament are paper towels and hand dryers.
Some facilities managers provide their patrons with a choice; they both stock their restrooms with paper towels and have hand dryers installed.
Other decision-makers have taken choice out of the equation, selecting either paper towels or hand dryers as the exclusive drying option in their restrooms.
Price, maintenance and environmental footprint are generally factored into the selection process, as each has an influence on budgets, workloads and sustainability goals.
But, what is often not factored into the equation is what restroom patrons want to use and what frontline professionals want to maintain.
And, given that this is a service business of the utmost competitiveness — budgets are being cut, contracts are being underbid and entire operations are being outsourced to save money, remain competitive and increase profits — customer satisfaction is principal.
“Offering only paper towels or an air dryer in a restroom isn’t patron-friendly,”states Samantha Mehrotra of the Cascades Tissue Group.
Industry research says customers want a hand drying choice, claiming it is important to have paper towels and hand dryers as drying options.
A spokesperson for Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP) says, “People use paper towels for more than drying their hands; paper towels are used to touch door handles and water faucets, wipe faces and spot clean clothing — tasks that an air dryer simply can’t do.”
Tit For Tat
It can be surmised that providing restroom patrons with a choice is preferred but, if that is not an option in your facility, which drying route do you go?
According to Bill Gagnon, director of marketing and key accounts for Excel Dryer, a quality high-speed hand dryer can eliminate the need for a paper towel dispenser in most cases, cutting waste as well as the expense of stocking and maintaining the dispenser.
“Increasingly, high-speed hand dryers are being specified to handle the bulk of hand drying needs in a restroom,” notes Gagnon. “For example, a facility that may have previously installed three or four paper towel dispensers may choose to install one to help augment the personal care needs of restroom patrons. This option meets the needs of patrons and the facility managers who wish to reduce maintenance, waste and create a cleaner, hands-free environment.”
As convenient as hand dryers are, it is difficult to dismiss research championing the hygienic properties of drying with paper towels.
Mehrotra proclaims, “A study conducted earlier this year in part by Dyson Ltd., makers of the Dyson Airblade hand dryer, conceded that ‘rubbing with paper towels appeared to be the best means of reducing bacterial loading on the fingertips.’”
The findings of the Dyson study are consistent with the results of an earlier research effort spearheaded the University of Westminster in London.
“The Westminster study found that, when participants used paper towels to dry their hands, the number of bacteria was reduced by up to 77 percent whereas air dryers actually increased the number of most bacteria on hands — up to 254 percent more for warm air dryers and 42 percent more for jet air dryers,” continues Mehrotra.
As one might expect, however, research has been conducted for both camps, and compelling arguments can be made regarding the superiority of either choice of drying apparatus.
Gagnon argues that, because of the dry atmosphere caused by constant heating, bacteria counts are often two to four times lowerinside a hand dryer than on other surfaces in the restroom, such as sinks, doorknobs and soap dispensers.
And, a pertinent study published in the December 2011 edition of the American Journal of Infection Control notes that bacteria was found on unused paper towels, meaning possible contamination can be spread unknowingly by some potential users of paper towels.
In response to a recent Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine poll, DeEon Phillippi, building maintenance supervisor for Century College, offered the following: “Hand dryers leave less of a mess on the floor. They also reduce other costs such as those associated with removing the refuse from restrooms, the cost of liners and overall waste removal costs.”
Countering Common Points
Countless studies, surveys and research undertakings can be cited and sourced to argue that one hand drying option is superior to another, but the truth is that the method chosen is more of a personal preference than anything.
Some say that paper towels add to deforestation and simply create refuse as an outdated hand drying option.
“Unlike paper towels, hand dryers leave no refuse behind, which can carry bacteria,” points out Gagnon.
To remedy this, many manufacturers now offer their paper towels with various levels of recycled content to show their commitment to source reduction.
Aside from the refuse issue, select paper towels are now being made with antimicrobial treatments that inhibit germ and bacterial replication.
“New innovations in paper manufacturing over the last several years have made it so recycled fiber sources can be produced to be just as soft, fluffy and absorbent as virgin fiber sources,” quips Mehrotra.
Some manufacturers are looking towards third-party validation to prove their environmental commitments and are choosing raw materials from sustainably-harvested forests and incorporating non-tree fibers into their offerings.
“It’s the next step on our sustainability journey — one that reinforces our commitment to ‘Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow,’” asserts a KCP spokesperson. “Today, alternative fiber products use up to 20 percent fewer trees than conventional products.”
It is said that air dryers simply blow germs and bacteria around the restroom.
To counter this, some makers of hand dryers have fitted their machines with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that remove 99.97 percent of potentially present bacteria and particulates that measure .3 microns or larger from the air.
Responding to a Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine poll on hand drying, Alan Goytowski, custodial services supervisor for the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, opines, “I’m voting for paper. True, there is debris on the floor and more trees cut down. But, there is not the spray of soiled water against everything near the dryer.”
Others claim that paper towels do not penetrate irregularities in skin, leaving them moist.
Although paper towels are able to dry hands through physical means, scouring away fomites and other particulates, clinical research has shown that the warm air of heated air dryers can “penetrate all the crevices in the skin, whereas absorbent towels may not reach such areas, even though the skin appears dry.”
Hygiene Is The Important Discussion
An estimated 80 percent of infections in the U.S. are transmitted by hand contact.
And, according to the Mayo Clinic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), handwashing is the key to hygiene — regardless of which drying method is chosen.
“As a society, we’re lazy when it comes to hand hygiene,” offers Mehrotra. “Consider that post-H1N1, 54 percent of people aren’t washing their hands often or more effectively than they did before the pandemic started. The beauty of innovation is that it compensates for peoples’ imperfect hand hygiene habits and prevents them from getting sicker.”
This is why, regardless of whether you and your building occupants prefer paper towels or hand dryers, all thoughts, opinions and supporting data needs to be placed on the discussion table.
Only with all of the facts and figures can an informed decision — one that takes into account hygiene, costs, maintenance, sustainability and occupant satisfaction — be made that best meets the drying needs of those in your facility while augmenting your economic and environmental goals.

Source: cmmonline

The 12 Steps to Safe Floors This Holiday Season

  CINCINNATI — As the holiday season approaches, colder temperatures and inclement weather will descend on many regions in the U.S., which can quickly turn silver bells into operational hell for restaurant operators who do not account for the increase in patrons and precipitation in their floor maintenance program, according to a press release.

To help restaurant operators and risk managers maximize the safety of their safe floor efforts, Cintas Corporation, a nationwide leader in safe floor programs, today announced 12 steps for holiday floor safety, the release stated.

Cintas will discuss these steps and other seasonal considerations for floor safety during its upcoming webinar "Safe Floors throughout the Year" scheduled on November 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), the release noted.

"Mix holiday parties with seasonal precipitation and you have a recipe for an injury if your restaurant doesn't have a safe floor program in place. By using our checklist, restaurants operators can help protect patrons and their reputation," said David Collette, director of marketing, Cintas Foodservice.

According to the release, the 12 steps that should be adhered to include:

• Protect entryways. Every exterior door should have several steps of matting leading into and out of it.
• Position mops for easy access.
• Assign someone to oversee the effort. Accountability plays a significant role in the success of a safe floor program.
• Dedicate a porter to clean immediate spills. During high traffic periods, assign someone to the task of spill cleanup.
• Clear exterior walkways.

To read the 12 steps in their entirety, click here.

Strategies to Prevent the Flu in the Workplace

CINCINNATI — To help eliminate flu-causing organisms, the Cintas Corporation has announced five disinfection strategies for targeting germ hotspots, according to a press release.

By identifying the main areas where viruses and bacteria thrive, the tips help facility managers focus disinfection efforts, keeping building occupants safe and healthy throughout the flu season, the release stated.

"People often contract the flu by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their own mouth or nose. By focusing cleaning programs on specific areas throughout the building known to harbor bacteria, facility managers can do their part to keep guests and employees healthy," said Dave Mesko, senior marketing director for Cintas.

According to the release, Cintas identifies the following germ hotspot disinfection tips:

Hotspot disinfection tip #1: Disinfect high-touch surfaces — To reduce illness, ensure that high-touch surfaces such as door handles, desks, keyboards and phones are disinfected regularly.

Hotspot disinfection tip #2: Deep clean restrooms — The buildup of harmful germs in restrooms can easily transfer to guest hands and cause illness.

Hotspot disinfection tip #3: Be mindful of matting — While matting can be an effective method to trap and contain germs, soiled floor mats can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and microbes.

Hotspot disinfection tip #4:  Don’t forget flooring — To reduce overall bacteria levels throughout the facility, use clean mops and tools specifically designed to prevent cross contamination by separating dirty water from clean water.

Hotspot disinfection tip #5: Promote hand washing — Encouraging frequent hand washing is the single most effective method for reducing the spread of illness among guests and employees.

"The flu season is a great time to revamp cleaning and disinfection policies. By increasing cleaning frequencies and promoting hand washing, facility managers can do their part in preventing the spread of the flu," Mesko added. 

Click here to read the release in its entirety.

Custodial Link to Health & Safety is Universal

NORTH LANARKSHIRE, SCOTLAND — A Scottish union is accusing the North Lanarkshire Council of putting the safety of students at risk by cutting certain school services, according to STV Cumbernauld.

The council has plans to cut £1.5m from janitorial services, a move the union says would reduce the health and safety of students, the article stated.

"These proposals would reduce health and safety within schools in North Lanarkshire due to cover being stretched thinner and opening and closing times of school buildings being reduced,” said John Mooney, branch secretary of Unison North Lanarkshire.

"The council is not looking at the bigger picture in terms of the vital service that these members provide. Reductions in line with the proposals would mean that no one would be in schools early to ensure that playgrounds are salted in times of bad weather or to check that the classrooms are safe for pupils arriving,” Mooney added.

According to the article, faculty in Cumbernauld schools see janitors as an essential part of school life, ensuring both function and safety.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

*Source: www.cmmonline.com

Influenza Expected to Kill Half a Million People

BLOUNTVILLE, TN — Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. John Dreyzehner is sending out a call to action for people to get inoculated with a shot to prevent influenza, according to the Bristol Herald Courier.

Annually, influenza kills about 500,000 people around the world, and some 20,000 Americans under the age of five are admitted to treatment centers because of the virus, the story stated.

According to the story, those most vulnerable are the elderly and the young, notably those with suppressed immune systems, heart disease and lung disease.

Dreyzehner stressed that, if healthy individuals receive a flu shot, they can help protect vulnerable populations and curb the spread of influenza, the story noted.

Infection Awareness Should Not Take A Summer Vacation

Dr. Randy Wykoff, dean of the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University, said, “A lot of people don’t take this disease as seriously as they should.”

Despite the severity of influenza, less than half of the U.S. population opted for inoculation last year — either the traditional shot or the new nasal spray — last year, the story added.

Click here to read the complete article.

Olympic Games could breed Olympic germs

LONDON — The 2012 London Olympic Games will bring together residents, athletes and visitors from more than 200 countries, making the need for vigilance against germs a daunting task, according to The Star.

The likelihood of a serious health emergency is slim to none, but it does still exist; the worse-case scenario being the emergence of a new, readily transmitted infectious disease, the article stated.

According to the article, just a few weeks ago, the entire Australian women's water polo team was quarantined after several members were diagnosed with whooping cough, an incident that proved that anything can happen, and that health officials need to be ready for any worrisome situation.

"Our risk assessments indicate that there's only a slight increased risk of infectious disease such as diarrhea and vomiting or respiratory illness," said Brian McCloskey, a member of England's Health Protection Agency (HPA).

"And the reality is that serious outbreaks are uncommon. Our message for everyone attending the Olympics is to enjoy the games and ensure they are up-to-date with routine vaccinations as recommended by their home country," McClosky added.

An article that was published in The Lancet Infectious Disease Journal this year suggested that mass gatherings such as the Olympics have "potentially serious implications to health, security and economic activity worldwide," the article noted.

It is also pointed out that "exchanged pathogens can travel back to different countries when visitors journey home, while lingering diseases can remain at the host site," the article added.

Click here to read the complete article.