What is an outbreak? When cases of a specific disease occur in numbers greater than expected in a defined area or population.

How many times has one child come to school or one adult come to work and by the next day, several are sick in the same class room or department? Every time a child or person comes into a space and contaminates it by touch, sneeze, cough or vomiting, that space is HIGHLY contaminated with infectious pathogens. Eighty percent of the time or more, people get sick from cross contamination infection. That is because hands are responsible for moving germs from one surface to another all around a room or building.

The items in your office such as door knobs, phones, computers, break room items and other high-frequency touch points help spread the infectious microbes all over. If you’re in a school or child care center, every toy, chair, table, area rug, door knob and other items become carriers of these infectious microbes. And, every child or teacher that touches them can very sick.

The rest of the time, about twenty percent of the time, it’s from direct exposure to a sick person. The child, teacher or co-worker that sneezes or cough in your face. The Perfect Storm: Colder (winter) months when people are not outside as much and in much closer quarters with others who may already be sick. Have a Happy Holiday, not.

Some pathogens are far more aggressive than others. That is why it is so important to know what you’re up against when a group of people in a specific location come down with an infection. In the adult world, just as in child care, it so important to act quickly when just a couple of kids or adults get sick. Because they are in such close proximity they can infect each other very quickly.

Using over the counter disinfectants or bleach and water isn’t a bad start. However, because you may not know which pathogen(s) are involved, it is best to have a professional service like Sterile Space come in and do a terminal disinfection of the affected area(s), to make sure that the vast majority of surfaces are properly disinfected.

Sterile Space responds usually within 24 hours of your call about a potential outbreak. Once your cleaning team has sprayed and wiped down all possible contaminated surfaces and objects (toys/equipment), we will apply the terminal disinfectant to the affected spaces. Once the disinfectant dries/evaporates, about one hour, all that is needed to be done is open the doors or windows for a few minutes and you’re ready to use that space again.