Schools throughout the Greater Lincoln and Omaha areas are opening soon. While there’s no way to guarantee the safety of students and their teachers from COVID-19, enforcing mask requirements and hiring a good cleaning company can minimize the risk. Below are a few ways administrators can make their facilities as safe as possible.

How to Open Schools Safely This Season

1. Rearrange Classrooms

Social distancing is one of the most critical measures for slowing the spread of the virus, so classrooms might have to be drastically rearranged. The CDC recommends staying at least six feet apart, which could mean limiting class sizes and rearranging desks.

Because space is at a premium in most schools, this will likely mean smaller class sizes. Some schools are overcoming this issue by having one group of children attend in-person classes one week and using virtual learning platforms the next.

2. Enforce Mask Mandates

Making children wear masks all day can be a challenge, especially for elementary schools whose students are very young. However, universal mask adoption is the best way to keep the virus from spreading in hallways and other crowded common areas.

If your school is reopening, be sure every staff member understands the importance of masks and has the disciplinary tools to enforce school policy.

3. Invest in Regular Cleaning

The coronavirus can survive on hard surfaces for several hours, so cleaning and sanitation are of the utmost importance. Hiring an experienced cleaning company to sanitize your school makes your student safer without burdening your staff with even more duties. 

A professional cleaner will know which products kill viruses and will take the time to thoroughly disinfect bathrooms, doorknobs, desks, and other surfaces that could transmit a virus. Many of the best use cutting-edge products designed to quickly kill microorganisms that other techniques might miss.

4. Use the Right Chemicals and Electrostatic Application

Each anti-viral cleaning agent has different dwell or kill times.  During the dwell time, the cleaning agent must be left on the surface to dissolve the Corona Virus.  You cannot simply wipe a surface with cleaner and remove the potential virus.  Electrostatic chemical sprayers charge an atomized chemical solution that envelops furniture and fixtures where the chemical can sit for 15-30 seconds and truly kill the virus before being wiped dry.  There is no more effective tool than an electrostatic chemical sprayer for the number of surfaces that need daily cleaning in a school building.  

Since 2006, Performance Chores has been one of the Lincoln area’s premier cleaning companies, offering reliable results and professional service to businesses and schools alike. If your school is reopening soon, you can rely on their team to give your students and teachers the cleanest, safest learning environment possible. Visit their website to learn more about how they’re fighting COVID-19, follow their Facebook for news and updates, or call (402) 326-2305 to contact one of the city’s top cleaning companies.