How to get back to work safely?

,

Which products can keep the workplace Covid free and back to work safely?

A year ago this month, the UK entered its first lockdown. A year on and we’re waiting to emerge from our third, hoping to get back to some “normality”. We’re all feeling the effects of the last 12 months and even with vaccinations finally making the outlook seem brighter, we have all come to realise that just like the Flu, Coronavirus is here to stay. In fact, research is suggesting that we will need to keep repeating periods of social distancing as we learn how to live with Covid 19. So it would seem there can be no drop in vigilance.

Implications for the workplace as Stay At Home rule ends

Providing we continue to make good progress with the ‘R’ number – the Stay At Home rule is on course to end on 29th March. Many office based staff will be back at work – some for the first time in just over a year. Many will be cautious and will be seeking the reassurance from companies they work for that risks are being minimised. So we are going to take a look at 4 key products that we think will provide that reassurance as we all finally go back to work!

4 key products to help get back to work safely

  1. Antigen Test Kits
Covid Test Kits for back to work safely

Covid test kits for back to work safely

The first product we are looking at is an obvious one – work based testing kits. Testing has been at the core of the Government’s drive in breaking the chain with the virus. It makes sense to continue to this in a work setting. Many companies are now being offered them free providing they have over 50 employees. This is currently only free until June. The tests should be performed twice a week on every employee. Research is showing that as many as 80% of people with Coronavirus don’t know they have it so it becomes imperative to carry out regular repeat testing in the work place.

Not only can a business quickly identify positive testing employees who can then go on to get this test result clarified at a local test centre, a business can ensure symptoms such as a cold really are just a cold and they do not need to isolate at home. The business can then maintain a healthy, functioning work force.

Some tests are quite intrusive but ones we recommend only require the nasal swab rather than both the throat and nasal swab combined. You can buy our Covid 19 Antigen Rapid Test Kits here. Results are known in as little as 15 minutes and it certainly gives peace of mind for everyone concerned. There are 25 individual tests in each box.

 2. Oximeters

Oximeters for back to work safely

Oximeters for back to work safely

Next on our list is the Oximeter, another great product to help identify a potential problem quickly and painlessly. This is a test that can be given everyday and identify issues again where there are no symptoms. The Oximeter is being used in the monitoring of people already diagnosed with Covid 19, but can also alert you to a problem again if there are no discernible symptoms.

It measures the oxygen levels in the blood which are low if suffering with Covid 19. It’s another useful tool, ideal for a daily test, enabling the employer to protect staff and the business. You can buy our Oximeters directly here, as well as look at details on how to use them.

3. Contactless Thermometer

Contactless thermometer for back to work safely

Contactless thermometer for back to work safely

Third on our product list is the Infared Contactless Thermometer. Another great tool for identifying any potential issues as well as being used in conjunction with other testing products. It has been documented that a high temperature is one symptom of Covid 19. This keeps both users safe and at a distance from each during the test.

A temperature is displayed literally within seconds and a reading over 37.8 C could indicate a positive test for Covid 19. You can buy our contactless thermometers here enabling you to quickly determine who should be permitted into the office or who should seek a further test.

4. VIRUSEND

VIRUSEND for back to work safely

VIRUSEND for back to work safely

You may have already heard about this product or seen it on the news. VIRUSEND has been featured in The Times, The Evening Standard and ITV. The story behind its development is quite remarkable, engineered by an inventor for the British Army, it’s now being used by schools, hospitals, Covid testing sites, businesses and consumers across the UK. The product is completely unique in that it kills the Coronavirus in just 60 seconds on any surface. So any surface such as a light switch, a lift button, a door handle, a trolley handle, a keyboard – are all safe to use in 1 minute.

As you can imagine, the product has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it can achieve this 60 second kill time. It is also completely different to other cleaning chemicals you may find in your janitorial cupboard in the office.

For a product to be able to claim that it kills the virus – it needs to satisfy two standards: BSEN:14476 and BSEN:16777. Most household cleaners are just anti-bacterials and will not kill the virus, leaving people unprotected. This confusion over anti-bacterials used to fight Covid was recently covered in The Times.  Using VIRUSEND around businesses completely eliminates the transmission of the virus on all surfaces, especially high touch points. You can read more about it, how it works and purchase VIRUSEND directly here.

Making Back To Work Safely easier!

Getting back to work safely will be the key to a committed and functioning team, whether in the office or in so called ‘non-essential’ retail. We feel this product collection really does offer work places the very best defence, enabling companies to stop Coronavirus at the front door. We have called these 4 key products our Covid Defence products and you can also find them all here for your convenience.

So if you’re looking to break the virus chain, and ensure you can do all your best to maintain a healthy workforce, take a look at our Covid Defence Products. If you do have any queries on these products or anything else in our PPE section, please do let us know using the form below and we hope your team gets back to work safely.

Blog form

 
*
/by

What is VIRUSEND and how does it work?

,

Is VIRUSEND the best surface disinfectant spray against Coronavirus?

A year ago this month, the UK headed into lockdown for the first time. The country and the world had little notion of what was to come but someone was already working towards a solution. Inventor Michael Pritchard quickly realised that we needed an antiviral spray that could be used to disinfect surfaces contaminated with Coronavirus. And so he set to work in his private laboratory and the journey began to produce VIRUSEND.

Game-changing VIRUSEND for the British Army

VIRUSEND disinfectant spray

VIRUSEND disinfectant spray

The idea was originally born to assist the military. It soon became apparent that once vehicles and equipment had been used by someone diagnosed with Covid 19 – everything had to be placed in quarantine for 72 hours. This basically crippled operations, costing time and money and put personnel at risk. What VIRUSEND was engineered to do was kill the virus on all surfaces in just 1 minute which meant no more 72-hour quarantine.

Equipment became safe to use in just a matter of seconds. Along with the Anyway Trigger Spray that was also developed at the same time, it meant it could be used upside down and in awkward angles without loss of efficacy – perfect for vehicles and equipment. The trigger spray produces a fine continuous mist at 360°.

4 Key Points About VIRUSEND and its Efficacy

 

1. How far and how quickly can a virus spread between surfaces?

A study by Imperial College London showed how easy it was for a virus to be transferred from surface to surface from a hospital isolation room. Within 10 hours it had been spread to 18 other surfaces including door handles, light switches and chairs in a waiting room and persisted up to 5 days. Some studies have shown that the virus can live up to 28 days on surfaces¹. It showed the need for effective cleaning with the right products was essential in reducing the spread.

As soon as VIRUSEND was being used in the military arena, the benefits for domestic use also became very clear. As the pandemic worsened and transmission rates continued to soar, consumers were using ordinary household cleaners to try to protect themselves from contaminated surfaces. The Prime Minister stated that after transmission through airborne droplets, the next easiest way to contract Coronavirus was from contaminated surfaces.

The supermarket became the place you were most likely to catch Coronavirus whether catching it directly from someone or by touching contaminated products on the shelves. Consumers thought that ordinary household cleaners could protect them from the COVID-19 virus on items that might have been contaminated in shops or on parcel packaging received at home from online orders. This was not the case and it’s a complicated explanation, made all the more difficult to understand when popular household cleaning brands were claiming efficacy.

2. Why aren’t household cleaners just as good against Covid 19?

So now we need to get a bit technical. Ordinary household antibacterial cleaners are not proven to kill the virus. Why? They are designed to kill bacteria. If the product can not claim these two standards: BSEN:14476 and BSEN:16777 they cannot independently prove that they can kill the virus on surfaces. VIRUSEND is the only product that has been tested against the virus and proven to meet both of these standards. Many products and well-known brands were and are promoting misinformation relating to these standards and the ability to kill the virus – check out the Virusend video here:

VIRUSEND has been tested at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine² in its biosafety level 3 (BSL Level 3) laboratory on the actual pandemic strain of the Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. No other product has been tested in this way and proven to be as effective.

3. Where is it safe to use VIRUSEND?

It’s safe to use on all surfaces³ including food prep areas as it is non-toxic. No PPE⁴ is required, unlike bleach which also damages surfaces or products with high alcohol content which are highly flammable. It’s also safe to use on electronic equipment such as your handheld scanner at the shop, your mouse and keyboard either at home or at work. The only caution here would not to drown these products with the spray – just use a gentle light misting is required and in 60 seconds – what you have sprayed is completely safe to use.

4. How to protect yourself from Coronavirus with VIRUSEND

There are so many instances throughout your day where you could potentially be exposed to the virus. From receiving the mail at home to moving your dustbins after they have been emptied, opening a shop door, filling up with petrol or getting on public transport. There is risk everywhere, especially when as many as 80% of people with Covid 19 don’t know they have it and could be spreading it on surfaces you may come into contact with.

Having VIRUSEND at hand is the quickest and most effective way of making your environment safe. In just 60 seconds, surfaces are safe to use and items brought home in shopping bags are safe to put away in just 1 minute. VIRUSEND is available in a 365ml trigger spray an eco-refill bottle to reduce your plastic use, and a handy 75 ml pocket sized spray perfect for when you’re going into areas that you’re unfamiliar with. The pocket spray is also easy for children and students to take to school with them.

It’s safe to say Coronavirus is likely to stay with us for a long time and we have to find new ways of living with this new enemy. VIRUSEND has been described in The Times as game-changing and we are very proud to be able to supply it to consumers and businesses alike, looking to protect their environments and keep safe.

If you would like to know more about this truly best in class product, please do get in touch with us using the form below or call us on 0845 075 6111– we are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

Blog form

 
*
  1. Research: https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en/news/how-long-does-sars-cov-2-last-on-surfaces.html
  2. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.25.394288v2
  3. Use only as directed
  4. Subject to a standard COSHH assessment
/by