Although wedding and concert venues may have scaled back business, the world is still enjoying its restaurants and cafes—that is, as long as these businesses avoid a COVID-19 outbreak. An outbreak can shut down your business for weeks or months. 

Even though all businesses dread a COVID-19 shut down, many cleaning precautions are not being followed. In many cases, incorrect or infrequent cleaning practices are raising the risk of contamination. 

Cleaning After a COVID-19 Outbreak

If your business operates in public spaces, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and sanitation is essential. If you experience an outbreak, you will need to shut down for at least two weeks, have deep cleaning performed, and ensure all staff are tested for COVID-19.

Once you are aware of a COVID-19 outbreak associated with your business establishment, your first reaction will be to clean and disinfect. But doing so could contaminate your staff. Businesses can increase the risk of spreading the disease by doing the following: 

• Remaining open - Stop receiving customers until you have time to analyze the gravity of the situation. Contact all customers who could be contaminated and apprise them of the outbreak.  
• Letting contaminated staff continue working. Ask all staff to be immediately tested. 

As for cleaning, avoid the following temptations:

• Immediate cleaning - Avoid cleaning for 24 hours to protect the health and safety of staff. 
• Turning on air conditioning - Do not turn on air conditioning or fans to avoid spreading the microbes. 

Arrange to have deep cleaning performed as soon as possible. 

Staff should not be allowed to return to work without a test verifying they are COVID-free. 

COVID-19 Deep Cleaning 

Once a business is closed due to an outbreak, all attention should turn towards reopening as soon as possible. Hanging up an Open for Business sign will not be sufficient to assuage the public that you are operating a safe zone. After having COVID-19 deep cleaning done, you also need to communicate to the public that your place has undergone deep cleaning. 

Regular Thorough Cleaning 

You may need to reconsider your hygiene practices up to standards. Most places do not, in fact, maintain the following CDC recommendations. Once COVID-19 sterilize deep cleaning is performed, the following practices can keep surfaces germ-free:

• Cleaning surfaces before each use. This includes shopping carts, cash registers, phones, and toilets.
• Placing a wipeable cover on cash system keys, touchscreens, and other highly used surfaces. 

Once back in business, continue to have regular COVID-19 deep cleaning performed.