Important Coronavirus information update

At the end of December 2019, the World Health Organization was alerted to several cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. This virus was identified as a novel Coronavirus, COVID-19 (previously referred to as 2019-nCoV), this organism belongs to a family of viruses, which includes the common cold, as well as SARS and MERS viruses.

By the end of January, it was reported that more than 7,000 people had been infected by the virus. WHO reports that China is the most heavily affected country. Outside of China, a smaller number of cases have also been reported in; Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, USA, Canada, France, Finland, Germany, UK and UAE. The severity of COVID-19 infection is under scrutiny via the CDC and WHO and it was declared a public health emergency on 30 January.

South Africa confirmed its first positive case of COVID-19 on the 5th of March 2020, originating from a travel group returning from a ski-trip in Italy. Those who had been in contact with the first diagnosed patients have been quarantined, and regular updates are being covered by News24.

What are we doing for our customers?

As a responsible organisation that is committed to protecting people, we will be closely monitoring the situation and providing informative updates to our customers via our websites and direct communications.

As a hygiene and pest control provider we are classified as an essential services provider during the 21 day lock down period and continue to support our customers who are providing essential services and operating during this time.

We want you to be assured that our colleagues will not pose added risk to our customers and their employees. We are undertaking additional training of our colleagues to ensure that we can continue to deliver high levels of service, safely.

We will also be providing information on an ongoing basis regarding what you can do to reduce the potential risks of virus transmission. Scientists around the world are currently looking into the transmissibility and severity of COVID-19, but until we know more, there are hygiene behaviours that we can and should adopt that are proven to be effective against the spread of viruses.

If you have questions about the actions that we are taking, or how we can help your organisation, contact our team, or give us a call on: 0800 77 77 89.

Our Specialist Disinfection Service is an antibacterial fogging treatment that quickly and effectively eliminates disease causing pathogens (including viruses) to reduce the risk of illness and cross-contamination.

The service is legally compliant in treating high-risk premises, where there are confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19. Qualified technicians are equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory protective equipment and specialist disinfection equipment to work safely and effectively on services tailored to meet your exact needs. The service is tiered into 4 categories, which are explained in the poster below. You can find further information here on our website, or contact us and our team can assist you with this.

What does the outbreak of Coronavirus mean for you?

Signs indicate that this potentially fatal virus is spreading, with the World Health Organization declaring the Coronavirus a global public health emergency. Scientists around the world are currently looking into the transmissibility and severity of COVID-19, but until we know more, there are hygiene behaviours that we can and should adopt that are proven to be effective against the spread of viruses.

Please read our article: What does the Coronavirus outbreak mean for you? to find out more about:

How is COVID-19 transmitted and how contagious it is
Symptoms of COVID-19
Advised special precautions
Guidance on effective hand washing methods

At the end of the day, remember that washing your hands is key to maintaining good hygiene. Here are some resources you may find helpful:

Will there be any changes to my service levels?

The health and safety of our colleagues and customers is of paramount importance to us, and we will not offer our services unless we can be sure it is safe to do so. We are aiming to keep disruption to a minimum; however the following restrictions have been put in place for safety purposes:

Rentokil Initial businesses will not conduct any type of service in medical treatment rooms or quarantine areas which are used for the care of patients who have experienced COVID-19 unless they are specifically trained to do so.
Our businesses which provide specialist disinfection services by colleagues trained in biohazards and infection control will be permitted to conduct services in the following areas, provided there are no potentially affected people in the area and all other risks have been robustly assessed:
1. Medical treatment rooms or quarantine areas which are used for the care of patients who have experienced COVID-19 infections.
2. Any premises or vehicle which has been quarantined due to the presence of a suspected COVID-19 patient(s).

What are we doing for our employees?

In order to ensure we provide a sensible and proportionate response, we have established a dedicated central team to monitor the global situation and maintain a global response plan. The initial phase of this plan consists of providing instructions and guidelines for country leadership teams, and ensuring all colleagues around the world receive thorough awareness briefings. All information is being assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure that our people are always protected and are also able to inform our customers on new developments as they happen.

In every country, our management teams, health and safety, and HR managers are continuously monitoring local government guidance and recommendations from WHO and CDC.

In a country with active outbreaks we are carrying out risk assessments and implementing risk control measures to ensure colleague exposure to infection risks is reduced, helping to protect them and also customers with whom they come into contact. These controls may include:

Increased supply and use of PPE, particularly N95 and FFP3 face masks.
The potential introduction of travel bans.
Possible restrictions or postponement of visitors from affected areas.
Quarantining colleagues who present symptoms after travel into infected areas or exposure to infected persons.

In countries with zero or a small number of isolated cases, we will continue to carry out routine work activities, following standard safe working practices, to include:

Practicing regular, good hand hygiene using soap and water and applying an alcohol-based hand sanitiser solution - particular importance when travelling or working in heavily populated areas.
Use of all forms of fit-for-purpose, undamaged PPE, specified and provided for the work they are required to perform.
Ensuring cuts and abrasions are kept clean, treated and covered with waterproof dressings.