By Carla Landi
Bar Maid’s Fly-Bye Drain Trap Seal provides a solution to a critical COVID health risk in foodservice operations. As you implement thorough cleaning procedures and risk prevention initiatives in your operation, be sure to check your drains. There are two apparent things that give everybody the impression of “not sanitary.” They are foul odors and bugs, both of which are often found in floor drains. Bacteria and viruses can also be found in floor drains and while they may not be visible, are hazards to be addressed after corona-virus.
SARS-CoV-2, the corona-virus that causes COVID-19, may be transmitted through plumbing systems
The World Health Organization found that floor drains were a conduit for aerosolized virus to travel between apartment units and contributed to a super-spreading event of SARS-CoV infection in 20031.
SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in some patients diagnosed with COVID-19. After a February 2020 investigation into a similar spreading event of this coronavirus between residents living in a Hong Kong high-rise, health officials suspect malfunction of the interconnected plumbing system allowed the corona-virus to spread between apartment units.
According to a study in the journal Lancet Global Health, the interconnectedness of the wastewater plumbing network can facilitate exposure to SARS-CoV-2 within, or even between, buildings.2 This is of particular concern in high-risk transmission settings such as hospitals and healthcare facilities, hotels and multi-family residential operators, cruise lines, schools, high-traffic facilities and commercial businesses such as restaurants.
One thing is for sure. everyone will be looking for ways to improve sanitation and prevent contamination. They will be looking for products that help keep staff, patrons, and themselves safe.
Bar Maid’s FLY-BYE Drain Trap Seal is cost-effective, and with four sizes available the product is easily installed in virtually any floor drain. Multiple approvals and certifications, including HACCP, make it a great control measure for addressing hazards from floor drains. This product is already used in thousands of independent and chain restaurants, hotels, hospitals and stadiums. Click here for more information. You can also visit www.BestintheBar.com.
Going forward, initiatives to control health risks will include a multi-pronged approach. The FLY-BYE Drain Trap Seal should be part of that strategy. Stay safe!
1World Health Organization. (2003). Consensus document on the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/70863
2Gormley, M., Aspray, T. J., & Kelly, D. A. (2020). COVID-19: mitigating transmission via wastewater plumbing systems. Lancet Global Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30112-1
