Covid-19 protocols

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
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Sanchisimo
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Covid-19 protocols

Post by Sanchisimo »

In a number of my promotional e-mails I receive I've noticed that some hotel chains are actively promoting their cleaning and check-in standards and protocols in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Airbnb have also contacted us with their cleaning guidelines and will be launching their Airbnb Enhanced Cleaning Initiative in May.

With the expected relaxation of rules here in Spain to international tourism from 1st July we are thinking of doing something more explicit in terms of setting out Covid-19 protocols. Is anyone else thinking along the same lines? Here's what we have come up with so far:

We take standards of cleanliness and cleaning of the apartment ready for your stay very seriously and aim to provide a safe and comfortable stay.

We follow cleaning guidelines which are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
All surfaces, objects and decorative items are cleaned with appropriate products prior to the arrival of each stay. Particular attention is given to door handles, light switches and other commonly used items.
Bed linen and towels are washed at the highest possible temperature.
Sanitising hand gel, soap, paper towels and toilet paper are provided for your use during your stay.
The apartment and terrace are completely private and self-contained. The communal areas and lift in the building are cleaned daily by a professional cleaning agency.
To minimise contact guests can supply check-in information on-line before their stay and a self check-in service is available.
Information on the apartment and Malaga is also available on-line and we are here to respond to you via phone, text or e-mail during your stay.

Thoughts anyone? we are also looking at having a 24 hour break between guests so that cleaning is not ruched and we can give the apartment a good airing. This is specific to our city break place.
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

I think it's great you are going to provide them with information before they arrive about what they can expect.
It's just a question of how much you are going to explain/warn your guests what to expect and what you want to control, not just for an individual booking but for all your guests and your cleaners and to what lengths you are prepared to go to try to keep your apartment virus free.
Here in France the local tourist offices have provided a 14 page manual covering the whole issue quite extensively. For example they are recommending covering sofas / chairs with throws that can be washed between each occupancy; also removing anything "non-essential" from the property, like ornaments, books, DVDs in order to facilitate deep cleaning. I'm still considering doing this and if I do will warn my guests what to expect, and also what NOT to expect (eg: mine are returners so they normally expect to find a large DVD library)
I'm still at the stage of thinking it through but I envisage also covering the following:
- warning our guests that when they are shopping and visiting places they are likely to find social distancing and use of masks still happening and that we will provide disposable masks but suggest they bring their own PPE and recommend they use them
- that not all of the places they hope to visit / things they expect to do will be operating normally (for example, there may not be any night markets)
- asking our guests to make sure they either dispose of or take away with them anything that they bring into the property and not to leave anything behind (normally our guests leave with us books they've read / leaflets they have picked up on places to visit / partly used shampoo / sometimes food /etc)
- that we will be providing a welcome pack but it will only include food/drink in bottles/packets that can be cleaned. For example if they want fresh bread that they will have to buy for themselves
Hope this helps.
Sunbeam
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Post by Sunbeam »

We are thinking along the same lines Sanchisimo and thank you for the additional items SPJ.

We would love to have 24 hours between bookings - but not sure if guests would be happy to move away from saturday to saturday bookings - does anyone have any thoughts on this?
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barbersdrove
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Post by barbersdrove »

I wil be leaving 72 hrs between bookings but would like to get a long term (more than 3 weeks) booking which may be possible as we get quite a few who are between moving house.

I think removing items such as books, etc is not necessary as they allow parcel delivery and post and say no evidence virus is transferred this way. People are going into shops, handling items and putting back on shelf etc as they go about their day. It will be impossible to cover every eventuality. For example, My car has to go for a service next week. Will the service centre disinfect everything they touch?

Everyone will make their own decisions but if I can stick to the 72hr gap that will mean any virus should have dissipated. Thankfully I do not rely on the income fromthe bookings so can see it's a different picture if you do.
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newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

barbersdrove wrote:For example, My car has to go for a service next week. Will the service centre disinfect everything they touch?
I took my car in for a service and yes it was like that... Car keys being passed underneath a screen like at the bank, everyone wearing disposable gloves, car interior sanitised, only allowed in with appointment
newtimber
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Re: Covid-19 protocols

Post by newtimber »

Sanchisimo wrote: Sanitising hand gel, soap, paper towels and toilet paper are provided for your use during your stay.
I am thinking about supplying sanitiser, but unless it's physically attached, guests will take it away with them. And if it's going to be physically attached, where do you attach it? Outside the property would seem ideal so that people would sanitise their hands before entering, but are the containers suitable for outside use? And if you put it inside, where would you attach it? In the hall? It'll look very out of place and once you're inside, soap and water is just as effective.
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

I would agree Newtimber. Hand sanitiser is for use when you are unable to wash your hands with soap and water - which is the most effective way to kill the virus.

Just provide plenty of soap.

(I was amused to see they are now promoting that they will supply toilet roll - what did they do before the pandemic??? :shock: :shock: )
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Spain is being covered here.
viewtopic.php?t=29392&highlight=
Spanish "cleaning" dictates will be written down in the boletines publish by the comunidad autónoma.
The Spanish government issued one over last weekend about the opening of borders. https://boe.es/
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Kilm
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Post by Kilm »

There has been a lot of stuff about this, and it varies from sensible to downright insane.

Cottages at one point were asking for everything to be stripped out that was non-essential, before backpedalling on that.

My property team have all taken an infection control course and the measures we have in place are:

1. Hand sanitiser station at entrance to house.

2. All hand gels removed and replaced with bars of soap, one for each guest

3. Books / DVDs / Boardgames are on a split rotation. So when a guest leaves, we take out their 'extras' and replace it with fresh extras that have sat for a week or more in a box.

4. Extra cushions and throws removed

5. The property team spray everything down with a special disinfectant which doesn't damage or stain

That's it.

The rest of it is down to guest responsibility, and it's made clear that there is only so much we can do before their stay is ruined.

We don't need 24hrs in between or anything like that - the fact is, in a contained environment like self-catering, flu can live on surfaces for 48hrs or more, so how is that any different from Covid-19? We didn't take these measures before.

If someone is going to become ill, it won't be from the house, it will be from someone else passing it on to them during their stay.
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

Kilm wrote:There has been a lot of stuff about this, and it varies from sensible to downright insane.
I agree but you have to do a risk assessment and if Visit England/Scotland/ PASC are all saying that you have to do X then we are not experts so cannot say it is not necessary. What happens if a guest gets diagnosed with Covid after they leave, you are notified and a following guest gets Covid and you haven't followed the official guidelines? They say that all crockery etc has to be washed in a dishwasher before guests arrive; they say we have to change pillow protectors/mattress protectors and rotate the duvets for example.
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Kilm wrote: the fact is, in a contained environment like self-catering, flu can live on surfaces for 48hrs or more, so how is that any different from Covid-19? We didn't take these measures before.
If you’ve seen any news in the last 6 months there seems to be a suggestion that Covid-19 is a tad more contagious than seasonal flu, and killing rather more people; hence the need to assess and take specific measures. Could be wrong though.
Pengman
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Post by Pengman »

We followed the PASC guidance issued in June 2020. There was nothing in this that mentioned providing disposable plastic covers for TV remote controls. but they we're provided in a hotel we recently stayed at and seem like a good idea. But at the same time I've an aversion to adding to the mountain of waste single use plastic. I've just tried wrapping a remote control in cling film and tested it and it worked fine. I know it's still plastic, but presumably much less significant as waste than a thicker plastic sleeve. Can look a bit naff if the control isn't wrapped neatly though (it's a bit like like Xmas presents - women are usually better at it then men I guess). Any views anyone?
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Joanna
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Post by Joanna »

Pengman - we're using re-sealable plastic bags for our remotes. The bags can be sanitised from the outside without any risk of getting liquid in the remote or rubbing the numbers off the buttons. The bags can be re-used many times and wiped clean in between guests so not too much plastic waste. I suspect that cling film would have to be replaced every time so in the end wouldn't be much better from the waste angle.

I've also put a sticker on the inside of the bag which asks guest to keep the remote in the bag - apparently other owners have found guests taking the remotes out of the bag to use them as they didn't realise that they'd still work in the bag!
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SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Good idea Joanna, I've been using small plastic bags and replacing them each time. Your solution sounds better. Though I'm getting depressed by the number of notices I seem to have to have around the place these days!
If we're still facing this next year, that's what I'll do.
Sunbeam
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Post by Sunbeam »

Is it not easier to clean the remote control with disinfectant between guests?
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