The coronavirus has changed the way we do almost everything in our daily lives. From work to school to grocery shopping and everything in between, we’ve had to rethink everything in order to slow the spread of the virus. One of the many changes you’ve likely noticed are the pieces of thick plastic in front of cash registers at grocery stores and cash stations. Those pieces of plastic are called sneeze guards, but do they actually help slow the spread?
What Are Sneeze Guards?
A sneezeguard is a large piece of plexiglass or a thick plastic that’s used to create an extra barrier between people. The idea is that the extra layer of protection can catch any droplets that make their way through a mask or offer protection if someone is wearing their mask incorrectly
Where Can a Sneeze Guard be Used?
Sneezeguards are beneficial in almost any setting you can think of. Some of the most common uses for sneezeguards include:
- Cash registers – to protect the cashier and the customer
- Schools – between and around desks to separate students
- Gyms – between pieces of equipment to limit the spread of bacteria from one machine to another
- Doctors offices
- Public transportation – sneezeguards can be placed between seats for different patrons and they can be placed around the driver to protect them from exposure to everyone entering or exiting the public transit
Almost any public place you can think of can benefit from the use of sneezeguards. Anywhere where direct contact can occur from one person to another, a sneezeguard can be placed in between them for added protection.
Do Sneeze Guards Work?
A giant piece of plastic might look silly, but it actually works! Sneezeguards are shown to be effective at catching bacteria and droplets in the air that would otherwise infect the person on the other side of the guard. Masks offer the same type of protection, but sneezeguards in addition to masks significantly lower the risk of transferring bacteria from one person to another. Not everyone is compliant with mask recommendations and some people don’t wear their mask properly, so a sneezeguard offers an extra layer of protection. The sneezeguards should be disinfected regularly and you should avoid touching the guard unless you’re the one cleaning it. After all, the bacteria and droplets just sit on the guard, so who would want to touch that?!
Purchase Sneeze Guards from My Safe Meeting
Sneezeguards are not required by law in every state, but they are encouraged by the CDC. Reception desks, cashiers, schools, and nearly any area of customer service can benefit from the added layer of protection. Both acrylic and plexiglass make effective sneezeguards. For help purchasing and installing sneezeguards, contact My Safe Meeting today! You can give us a call at 978-267-1080 or fill out a contact form.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, most people were not so keen on sanitizing stations as a society, despite the regular seasonal flu and other contagious diseases. However, the current pandemic has forced our society to be more conscious of our hygiene and contact with other human beings. In our current world, we all depend on each other to stay safe. As such, sanitizing stations are being installed almost everywhere to protect people.
Research conducted by experts since the beginning of the pandemic clearly shows that sanitizers dispensed by foot pedals are best for reducing the spread of the virus. A no-touch hand sanitizing station is beneficial in so many ways as we will discuss below:
Thoroughly sanitary
A no-touch hand sanitizing station is the most sanitary way to provide dispensers to a large number of people. People often have germs lingering on their hands, a cumulative of the many surfaces, spaces, and things you touch daily but having a hand sanitizer that is dispensed by a foot pedal ensures the sanitizing station remains clean and safe for use every day.
Disability-friendly
Many sanitizing stations are installed in a way by which disabled people can’t gain access to such a simple service. However, a no-touch hand sanitizing station helps disabled people get access to public hand sanitizers. It also ensures that they are safe, especially because of their vulnerability.
Highly Innovative
Before the pandemic, people did not pay much attention to the use of hand sanitizers. After the Covid-19 protocols were launched, some people have found it difficult to use hand sanitizers as frequently as prescribed. A no-touch hand sanitizing station could serve as a reminder to people that using a hand sanitizer could be as easy as walking on a pavement.
Easy to install
No touch hand sanitizing stations are easy to install and very economical. Everyone is tired of the periodic lockdowns and almost no physical contact with the outside world. Hence, having a no-touch hand sanitizer at your event or in a public place helps everyone.
Durable
No touch hand sanitizing stations are highly durable and can last for as long as ten years. Usually, they are made of steel which is resistant to harsh conditions. That elongates the lifespan of the station. They are perfect for public use in restaurants, companies, hotels, public restrooms, supermarkets, and malls.
Order No-Touch Hand Sanitizing Stations from My Safe Meeting
In conclusion, no-touch hand sanitizers are another inventive way of keeping the world safe, and you should invest in one. As much as they are needed by business owners, they can also be installed in the home to give guests and family members easy access to the sanitizer. If you need to purchase one, kindly check out My Safe Meeting for the purchase and installment of your quality and safe no-touch hand sanitizers. Give us a call today at 978-267-1080 or fill out a contact form!
We can classify UV light as a form of radiation because its energy level is higher than that of radio waves. However, it is not greater in energy than gamma rays or X-rays.
It is common practice to kill viruses and bacteria with UV light, and recently, many have applied this theory to fight covid-19. To verify the truth in this application, let’s look at some facts first. Three types of UV light exists:
- UVA light with the lowest energy and you face the most exposure to this in the sun.
- UVC light with the most energy, the earth’s ozone absorbs most of this from the sun
- UVB light comes from the UV light spectrum’s center. It mainly contributes to skin cancers and sunburn.
The AJIC, in its newest study, stated UVC light helps eliminate covid-19 present in liquid culture forms. According to this same study, it is possible to fight off the real virus within 9 minutes of exposure to UVC light.
Another study in the same American Journal states that a particular type of UVC light can destroy 99.7& or Coronavirus in thirty seconds.
We refer to this form of UVC light are far-UVC light, which is the middle wavelength between 207 and 222 nanometers. The greatest advantage of this type of UVC light is that it manages to kill most germs without harming your eyes and skin.
Due to this advantage, it is much less hazardous in comparison to other kinds of UVC light. Another study suggests using far-UVC light to kill Covid 229E and OC43, present in the air. These forms of Coronavirus can cause common colds.
From the pooled results the studies provide, researchers conclude that, by applying far-UVC light to current regulatory standards, we could destroy 99.9% of the airborne Coronavirus. This entire process would take approximately twenty-five minutes. Researchers are also of the opinion that these results are pertinent to SARS-CoV-2.
Judging how the UVC light requires no additional chemicals to activate the Coronavirus, we can use it ideally in disinfectants. For this very reason, manufacturers have come up with special lamps that employ UVC light to kill covid germs present on:
- Personal protective equipment of medical personnel, such as the N95 masks
- Operating rooms
- Medical equipment pieces
- Surfaces in healthcare settings.
Thus far, the only drawback that has come to notice is that UVC light needs to come in direct contact with the germ carrier to be effective. Hence, if you use it in an area with a layer of dust, the UVC light will not be as effective as killing germs.
Contact My Safe Meeting
UVC light effectively kills 99.9% of the Coronavirus, but experts suggest it is best to apply only to healthcare settings. Using it at home comes with certain risks. Reach out to My Safe Meeting with any questions and for more assistance! Give us a call at 978-267-1080 or fill out a contact form.
This year, COVID-19 has created an unprecedented impact on the way we work and live. While it seems like vaccines will begin being distributed in the near future, it’s still important for offices to take safety precautions even after the vaccine is distributed.
This blog post will cover the basics when it comes to creating a sanitary and healthy work environment. At My Safe Meeting, we believe that staying safe at work not only means keeping everything clean and sanitary but also having good communication and signage strategies throughout the office. Here are some tips we put together to help guide you through reopening your office space.
Add barriers where possible
If your office doesn’t allow furniture to be moved to separate your employees, consider adding barriers and dividers between employees. My Safe Meeting sells office barriers as pictured below to help create a cubicle-like separation.
Keep your workspace clean
Making sure all the surfaces in your office that multiple people touch throughout the day are constantly cleaned and sanitized is extremely important. Consider adding antibacterial copper film to these areas. Copper film is a safe product and known to continuously eradicate bacteria.
Make hand sanitizer easily accessible
It’s important to make sure your employees always have access to hand sanitizer. An easy and safe way to make sure of this is by purchasing a no-touch hand sanitizing station from My Safe Meeting. This sanitizing station features locking mechanisms, high-capacity usage, and branding opportunities.
Disinfect your office every night
Doing this is easy! Install a UVC disinfecting light in your office. When all your employees go home at the end of the day turn on this light to have it disinfect the entire office. Our lights are equipped with a motion sensor so that it will automatically shut off when motion is detected. It’s important that the UVC light is not on when people are around.
Have communication signage
If you have a bigger office space, having communication signage is a must. You want to make sure all your employees know the proper protocols and having signage up to remind them constantly will make sure they remember and follow all the safety rules. At My Safe Meeting, we have the ability to create branded signage so they look great around the office.
Contact My Safe Meeting in Boston
To get any quotes or to schedule an installation for any of our products, contact us today! We’ll work with you to make sure your office has everything it needs to reopen safely and keep employees safe when they return. Give us a call at 978-267-1080 or fill out a contact form on our website!
Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic people have looked for new and better ways to disinfect their homes, venues, school and workplaces. Special cleaning agents have been formulated and everyone is now checking the alcohol level in their products (go for 65% and over, BTW).
With this, new interest has been taken in old technology— UVC or UV-C light irradiation. Wands, lamps, cabinets and other UVC products seem to be everywhere. This is a quick synopsis of what UVC light is, how it works, and what products might work for you.
Discovered in the early 1800s, UVC is one of three ranges of UV light, as determined by wavelength. There is UVA (400-315nm) light which is commonly used in black-lights, UVB light (315-280nm), which gives us sunburns, and at wavelength 280-100, we find UVC light.
In nature, UVC light is created by the sun but unlike the other two UV wavelengths, it is absorbed entirely by our ozone layer, never reaching the earth’s surface. If you are old enough to recall our concerns about the deteriorating ozone layer a few decades ago, potentially dangerous UVC rays shining down on us was the reason why. Life on earth has never had to adjust or adapt to these rays which is why they can be both dangerous to us and extremely effective bacteria and virus killers.
UVC light attacks microorganisms at the RNA level, targeting and then killing the genetic material within. Although not yet clinically proven against COVID 19, we do know UVC kills Streptococcus, Influenza, Sars, and other coronaviruses, taking mites, bacteria, and some fungi out right along with them. When used correctly, UVC light is known to be 85 to 90 percent effective.
Although little known to the average consumer before the pandemic, healthcare facilities have been disinfecting with UVC for decades. Water and air purification through UVC light is already popular in industry and home use in those areas is growing. Today’s renewed interest in this technology is in its potential as a surface cleaner.
Fast, clean with no need for hand scrubbing or harsh chemicals, UVC irradiation can be used as a “green” surface sterilizer with no messy residue or rags and chemicals to dispose of afterwards, UVC light is another powerful weapon in our battle against virus’s and bacteria. But because direct exposure to UVC burns skin and eyes, (the longer the exposure, the higher the damage) it must be handled properly. Indeed humans, animals and plants should be removed from any space as it is being UVC disinfected. One other note of caution: because man made UV lightwaves are identical to those of the sun, it can fade fabric colors over time. Some materials break down from UV exposure in a process called photo-degradation.
When used correctly, UVC will work on any surface it hits as long as it is the proper wavelength: specifically 254 nanometers (nm). The time in which it takes to disinfect a surface depends on the throw of the UVC unit and its proximity to a surface.
Of course, most spaces contain furniture, barriers, and other assorted “stuff” and this can limit the ability of UVC to thoroughly clean in one swoop. The UVC light must directly shine on a surface in order to sterilize it. Most lights can be more effectively used if moved around a space to get to all surfaces or they can be installed overhead. There is, however, another element that can assist UVC light during sterilization, and that element is called Ozone. Unless the glass UVC unit is specially coated, quartz and “soft” glasses allow 185nm to pass out into the air along with the UVC 254 rays and this wavelength produces Ozone. A powerful disinfecting agent in and of itself, ozone can move around objects like furniture and clothing, etc., disinfecting surfaces UVC cannot reach. Unfortunately, like UVC light, Ozone comes with a hitch: it’s ability to harm humans in close proximity. In this case, breathing Ozone can harm the lungs and it is considered especially potentially dangerous to those with respiratory diseases. While humans can reenter a room minutes after using a non-ozone producing UVC unit, they must wait for ozone to clear a room before entering. This is why most ozone producing UVC sanitation is done after hours, with extra time reserved to allow the Ozone to naturally dissipate. For this reason, many experts caution against the home use of Ozone products.
If the risks involved with the above concern you, there is good news: a promising new form of disinfecting UV light that is slowly entering the market. This exciting new UV product is called Far UVC Light. Without getting too technical with the language (I am not a scientist after all) Far UCV emits UV at a further reduced wavelength (207-222nm), and new studies have shown Far UV light to be effective virus and bacteria killer that does not harm humans or other mammals! Given the current positive news on its safety and effectiveness, we should expect to see more Far UVC products in the marketplace soon.
With so many UVC surface and air cleaning products on the market it, can be hard to choose the ones that are best for you. Rolling or stationary disinfecting lights are great for overall surface disinfecting and are portable enough to move from room to room. Depending on the size of the space involved and the power of the unit, UCV surface disinfection typically takes 30 minutes to an hour to work. UVC stationary or rolling units should be equipped with timers or with remote controls to give the user time to vacate the area prior to use. Overhead hard-wired units are a terrific fit for highly trafficked offices, health care facilities, and industrial buildings. All overhead units should be installed with a motion sensor that automatically shuts off the unit if a visitor enters unawares. UVC Cabinets and UVC boxes are recommended for high touch objects: everything from electronics to sporting equipment, tools, and small objects can be cleaned very quickly, in some cases, mere minutes due to the close proximity of the light to the objects in an enclosed space. They are also safe for humans as quality units only work when closed and they are often equipped with timers for industries, schools, colleges, and other institutions with high volumes of items that need to be cleaned quickly and rotated out.
UVC products are worth the investment to help you as you disinfect your facilities, office, or venue spaces’ air, water and surfaces. As with any other product, buyers should make sure their choices come from reliable and proven sources. Unfortunately, many of the inexpensive consumer-level products flooding the market may be giving people a false— and in this case dangerous—sense of security. Several commonly known LED wands have been tested only to find they were not powerful enough to do much of anything. Ask your UVC provider for their certification information before buying.
Also keep in mind that no product is a magic bullet when it comes to protecting your employees, customers, and pupils from disease. Social distancing, hand washing, and standard disinfection techniques should be used along with your UVC lighting solutions to keep us all safe where we meet.
References and Links:
Welch D. Far-UVC light: A new tool to control the spread of airborne-mediated microbial diseases. Scientific Reports 2018
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-21058-w
Kalter, L. Coronavirus Puts UV in the Disinfectant Spotlight. WebMD 2020
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200519/coronavirus-puts-uv-in-the-disinfectant-spotlight
Rammelsberg A. How does ultraviolet light kill cells? Scientific American 1998
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-ultraviolet-ligh/
Coffey D. Does UV light kill the new coronavirus? LiveScience 2020
https://www.livescience.com/uv-light-kill-coronavirus.html
Graph 1:
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/sun-safety/what-is-ultraviolet-radiation.html
