Helping Reduce the Spread of the Coronavirus Outbreak
Are you taking steps to minimize the risk of spreading coronavirus (COVID-19), MRSA, flu strains, and more? Keeping your customers and employees safe is critical. Let's explain what you can do to ensure everyone is fully enjoying your party or event.
To work in the event and party rental industry, you really need to be a people person. A good day on the job for us means we’re interacting directly with others—strangers, more often than not—and spending time mingling in large groups of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people.
That’s why COVID-19—what the news media has been referring to as “coronavirus”—is perhaps a little more alarming for us than for people in most other industries. We’re in close quarters with our customers and their guests, most (if not all) of whom are strangers, every day. Our customers have frequent tactile interactions with our party and event rental equipment. Transmittable viruses like coronavirus can certainly raise our blood pressure.
Our industry can and should do its best to help stop the spread of infections and viruses. Not just coronavirus, but flu, cold, MRSA, and more. There are simple things all of us should be doing regularly to ensure we’re keeping our customers, their guests, our employees, and ourselves safe from these potential threats.
Note: We do our best to research these topics and provide you with accurate, detailed information, but we are not medical professionals and this article is not intended to serve as medical advice. Please consult a physician and visit the links we’re sharing in this article to learn more about Coronavirus and how you can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
All Employees Must Wash Hands! The Basics of Hygiene
Tried and true, maintaining good basic hygiene practices are your best defense against Coronavirus, the flu, and other ailments. And it’s not just about washing your hands, either (though washing your hands is critical). Some of these hygiene tips include:
- Wash your hands regularly, especially before and after blowing your nose, sneezing, coughing, eating food, using the restroom, changing diapers, or interacting with animals. Wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds and dry them with a clean towel. (here’s a full list of when and how to wash your hands)
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when you can’t wash your hands, and try to wash your hands as soon as possible
- If you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue and throw away that tissue immediately. If you don’t have a tissue, use the inside of your elbow
- Try to stay at least three feet (one meter) away from anyone who is coughing and/or sneezing
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, especially if you’re sick or you’ve encountered someone you suspect may be sick
- If you’re not feeling well, stay home. If you can’t stay home, wear a face mask. The CDC says you DO NOT need to wear a face mask UNLESS you’re already sick.
- If you’re not feeling well, call and visit your doctor. The World Health Organization stresses it’s important to call in advance so they’re better prepared for your arrival.
How Clean is Your Event and Party Rental Equipment?
According to the CDC, COVID-19 is transmitted much like the flu and MRSA are transmitted, and that means we need to take extra care in making sure all of our party and event rental equipment is clean and in full working order.
As COVID-19/Coronavirus continues to spread globally, we advise you to take extra care in cleaning your rental equipment, and to apply extra effort toward using disinfectant wipes that do not contain bleach and/or ammonia. Bleach and ammonia damage vinyl and should only be used if you're trying to get rid of mold and mildew.
Surfaces customers touch with their hands or feet and any equipment their faces come in contact with should get extra attention. This will by no means guarantee your equipment can’t spread viruses and diseases, but it can at least minimize their risk of doing so.
Related: How to Clean a Bounce House: How Professionals Do It
Related: Pro Tips: How to Clean a Commercial Inflatable Water Slide
Related: Folding Tables and Chairs: Cleaning and Upkeep Tips
Related: Commercial Tent Cleaning: How to Clean a Party Tent
Replacing Your Old, Worn-Out Wearables and Handheld Items
Some rental equipment includes the use of wearables—equipment customers wear on their bodies to make use of a particular inflatable game. Some examples of these wearables include special suits for velcro walls, boxing gloves, and protective headgear. There are handheld items related to inflatables games too, like bean bags and balls for carnival games, sealed air joust poles, etc.
These items are worn or held directly by customers and guests, meaning you should definitely clean these items carefully. It’s also a good idea to stock up on extras; if a guest is coughing in your boxing helmet, you’ll of course want to use a backup rather than potentially getting the next person in line sick.
As these wearables get older, they’ll start to fade and crack. This will make cleaning infinitely harder to accomplish and makes it easier for viruses to make their home in that equipment. If your gear is fading and cracking, it’s time to replace it. And that makes your equipment more aesthetically pleasing for customers, too!
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Coronavirus Isn’t the Only Reason to Take Safety Seriously
All of the coronavirus stuff we’re seeing in the news is pretty terrifying. Some news anchors, politicians, and random Internet denizens are making coronavirus/COVID-19 sound like the end is nigh. But if you do some research and listen to trusted sources, you’ll come to realize the coronavirus isn’t as scary as people are making it out to be.
The World Health Organization says COVID-19 is most dangerous to older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions that weaken the immune system, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, or HIV/AIDS. Most of the people who contract coronavirus show flu-like symptoms and recover without a problem, and many probably show no symptoms at all.
We’re not saying any of this to downplay the severity of the coronavirus. But protecting yourself, your employees, your customers, and their guests from viruses, infections, and other illnesses goes well beyond just COVID-19 alone. MRSA, flu strains, and other transmittable viruses and illnesses may not bring in the same volume of news headlines, but they should never be taken lightly.
Keeping your equipment clean, replacing it when it’s starting to break down, and ensuring you and your staff maintain good hygiene practices saves lives. Coronavirus fears will come and go, but keeping customers and employees healthy? That’s something you should always take seriously.