Programme Background & Design
The first part of a coronavirus (Covid-19) plan for a condo association involves a basic assessment of the status quo, and future needs. Where are the greatest risks, and how can you best mitigate those risks? This will partially depend upon the size of the association. Larger associations have elevators, fitness rooms, more people coming in and out the building, and are likely to have their own staff. Smaller associations might have less frequent cleaning schedules, and contracted staff that work for many properties.
Thoughtful planning requires understanding the nature of the transmission, and assessing the current practices with an eye for preventing transmission of the Covid-19 virus. When the pandemic was beginning, the medical authorities were especially emphasizing what would be called “contact” precautions: Wash your hands, use a sanitizer, disinfect surfaces, etc. However, as more was learned about the transmission of the virus, there was far greater emphasis on “respiratory” precautions, including talking about the need for N95 masks, not being in groups of more than 10 people, and “social distancing”.
The CDC says:
- The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
- The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
- These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprepare%2Fprevention.html
From a condo management perspective, informed by healthcare infection control principles, is that someone can sneeze or cough into their hand, then touch the elevator button and then 5 minutes later another resident can touch the same elevator button, then rub an eye and get it. This is not just with coronavirus (Covid-19) but also with any germs. Plus, a person infected with Covid-19 could sneeze, and then the droplets could linger in the air, and then you come along and breath it. Thus, we are looking at BOTH contact precautions and airborne precautions.
From a condo management company perspective, it is helpful to correlate the Covid-19 challenge in condo buildings with what is referred to in the healthcare industry as a “nosocomial infections”. A nosocomial infection is an infection that a patient picks up in the hospital. For example, a person could go in with a broken arm, and then get the flu. There are a host of ways to get a nosocomial infection … waiting in the ER with infected patients, a dirty bed, to poor technique on the part of care givers, to contaminated food, linen, from other patients within the hospital … possibly through the air, etc. Healthcare workers are especially at risk, and according to a report on March 27, 2020: “Coronavirus: 10,000 health workers in Spain have contracted Covid-19”. That is essentially what condo management is concerned with. Residents come to the building, and we don’t want them to pick up anything (especially Covid-19) as a result of living in the building we manage.
In light of the above, the programme includes the following elements:
- Staff training and Safety
- Engineering Solutions
- Housekeeping Solutions
Resident Communication & Involvement
