What do restaurant operators need to know about Ebola?

Ebola has been in the headlines as of late, including some notable intersections with the hospitality industry:

• Dr. Nancy Snyderman caused a flap when she broke quarantine to snag a bowl of soup from her favorite restaurant. While she never left her vehicle, some still criticized her for "putting the public at risk" and some observers saw traffic drop at the restaurant following the incident. 
• Restaurants and hotels in the Dallas area were on alert after the first person was diagnosed with Ebola in the US was hospitalized in the Dallas area. One restaurant manager even reported bleaching down her restaurant after customers left. 
• After a New York City doctor was diagnosed with Ebola,the bowling alley he visited was shut down and sanitized twice: first by a team from the CDC, then by a professional cleaning service.

Ebola has been a hot topic among restaurant operators, according to Keith Segrue, vice president of Sales at Swisher Hygiene, with many wondering if they are equipped to deal it.

"There's a heightened awareness, questions about 'Are we prepared? Are we doing everything we should do?'" said Segrue. "Businesses know that there's the financial, the legal and the moral obligation to protect not only its customers but its own employees from these health risks. And the Ebola situation is really putting a heightened focus on this obligation and it's forcing many organizations to question if they have the proper measures, procedures or methods to reduce this risk. Businesses are often ill-equipped to handle this important responsibility on their own."

The National Restaurant Association has been in communication with the Centers for Disease Control over the issue.

"The CDC has stated that the risk remains very low. Pending further CDC guidance, restaurants should continue usual sanitation and hygiene practices. Restaurants should reinforce the importance of implementing these standards as we approach flu season, as well," said VP for Industry Affairs and Food Policy Joan McGlockton in a statement from the NRA.

Guidance for Ebola

When it comes to newer risks like Ebola, restaurant owners can turn to local health departments, which should be in communication with the Centers for Disease Control and other public health agencies, for guidance.

The New York State Department of Health has issued information with recommendations for the cleanup of Ebola-infected blood and other body fluids in non-health care settings. The guidelines are specifically designed for places where a symptomatic person under investigation for Ebola virus or who has been confirmed to have the virus has been present.

According to the guidelines, any public accommodation – such as a restaurant – which needs to clean up blood or other bodily fluids secreted by a symptomatic person under investigation or diagnosed with the Ebola virus should work with its local health department to identify a professional cleaning contractor trained to clean the area. Professional cleaners with the proper training will know what can be cleaned, how to clean it, and they will have the proper gear to get the job done and minimize additional exposures.

Bigger threats

But what kind of threat does the Ebola virus really pose to the restaurant industry? Probably not much of one at this point.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the virus is spread through direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person. Unlike other viruses like influenza or the common cold, Ebola is not spread through air or water.

So far in the US, just four people have been diagnosed with Ebola and one has died.

By contrast, the CDC estimates that between 5 percent and 20 percent of US residents get the flu each year, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications each year. Somewhere between 3,000 and 49,000 people died due to flu between 1976 and 2006, according to the CDC.

Norovirus, which affects the gastrointestinal system and results in vomiting and diarrhea, is an even bigger threat. About 20 million people get sick from norovirus each year, according to the CDC, with infected food workers cause about 70 percent of reported norovirus outbreaks from contaminated food.

Mitigating risk

Restaurant operators have a moral obligation to protect their customers from diseases, Segrue said. That obligation extends beyond headline-grabbing maladies like Ebola to more common concerns like norovirus and influenza.

The key to keeping bugs like norovirus and influenza at bay lies in having all employees follow good cleaning routines. Operators should follow CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, and emphasize good hand washing practices for employees.

"Make sure that you have a routine, a program put in place, and you are just managing exceptions," said Segrue.

Cleaning up 'exceptions'

A couple of unpleasant exceptions: vomit and diarrhea.

Every restaurant, sooner or later, is likely to face a situation where a bodily fluid spill needs to be cleaned up. Here is a compilation of such recommendations from variety of health and food safety websites:

• Have a kit prepared with all of the protective gear (eye protection, face mask, gloves, apron or gown), cleaning products and other tools needed to clean up the spill, and make sure employees have ready access to the kit. Operators should check with their hygiene products provider or local health department for recommendations.
• Have procedures for cleaning up in place, and make sure designated employees are properly trained. Employees who handle food should not be designated to clean up bodily fluid spills.

To properly clean and disinfect in the wake of a diarrhea or vomiting incident:

1. Isolate the area. Get bystanders out of an approximate 25-foot radius around the affected area.

2. Cover the residue with paper towels to keep microscopic particles from going airborne. Check with your hygiene products provider about special spill control products designed to firm up liquids for easier removal, added Segrue.

3. Put on personal protection gear, covering eyes, mouth, hands and clothing. Be sure sleeves are tucked into gloves.

4. Disinfect the area. Cleaning products should be applied carefully according to label directions. Particular care must be given to allowing products to remain in place long enough to kill virus and bacteria, said Segrue.

5. Clean up the spill. Use a disposable plastic scraper to scoop up residue and deposit it into a plastic bag. Seal the bag, and place it inside another plastic garbage bag and dispose of it in the trash.

6. Disinfect the area a second time, again paying attention to label directions for disinfecting products.

After final disinfecting, remove personal protection gear carefully and dispose of it in its own sealed garbage bag. Wash hands thoroughly, and if possible, shower and change clothes.

7. Document the incident, and if possible, gather information from the sick person (name, address, age, what and where the person has eaten recently) and keep it on file for at least a year.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia