The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many schools to shut down, and parents may be reluctant to send their children back to school once they reopen. The CDC has announced guidelines to help minimize the spread of the virus, however, many parents may feel uncomfortable with sending their children back to school until students are vaccinated. Students are also becoming increasingly frustrated with studying from home and miss spending time with their friends.
But the danger is real. Take one area as an example: as of October 27th, 2020, cases in schools within Aiken County, in South Carolina in the United States reached up to 2,000. While this number is daunting, educational institutes are doing their best to control the situation. County, public, and private schools reported around 27 COVID-19 cases as schools have reopened throughout Aiken County. Without the right sanitation and hygiene methods, fighting this invisible enemy may be near impossible.
Ozonated Water Neutralizes COVID-19
As the battle against COVID-19 continues, new research showing that ozonated water can be used to fight the virus has emerged, making this eco-friendly disinfection agent a powerful new weapon against the virus.
Ozone is a strong oxidant that acts as a natural sanitizer. Sanitization using ozone removes the need for dangerous chemical disinfectants and is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical sanitization products. Ozone acts 3000 times faster than chlorine and is 50 times more effective. After the sanitization process ozone simply reforms into oxygen molecules, without emitting any harmful by-products.
Ozonated water is currently the strongest form of aqueous disinfectant. It is a mixture of ozone and water, making it effective against molds, bacteria, and even viruses. Ozonated water is created when low electricity voltage is introduced to the water by an electrolytic ozone generator, which is safe for people. The ozonated water breaks down molecules, and the process of the destruction and construction of molecules forms ozonated water.
Ozonated water penetrates the membrane of viruses and destroys them from the inside at the cellular level. The latest research suggests that ozonated water attacks the lipids and proteins of the COVID-19 virus. This makes ozonated water robust against COVID-19 as it neutralizes the virus-host.
How Can Ozonated Water be Used in Schools?
Ozonated water is an efficient solution to keeping schools sanitized for longer. There are three relevant BioSure products for this application.
- Attach the BioSure Water Disinfection System (WDS) to school water lines where students wash their hands. After installation, the Biosure WDS can automatically produce ozonated water for sanitizing surfaces and hands against viral threats.
- The Ozone Spray Bottle (OSB) converts regular water into ozone water, and can be sprayed onto surfaces, instantly killing 99.9 percent of pathogens.
- A Space Sanitizer System (SSS) can be used to disinfect the air in a room by releasing misting ozone that attaches onto bacteria and viruses in the air. The misting ozone can disinfect clothes as students enter the classroom or school building.
Installing Ozonated Water Treatment In Restrooms
It would be nice to think that everyone using the restroom properly sanitizes their hands. However, most of the time we use regular soap and forget to use disinfectant. If one single COVID-19 carrier forgets to sanitize their hands, the virus could swiftly pass to students within a classroom.
The BioSure Ozone Water Disinfection System can play an important role in keeping schools safe for kids. Connecting an ozone generator to water lines can eliminate the need for sanitation, as tap water would be ozonated, and hands therefore properly sanitized. Furthermore, ozonated water is an odorless disinfectant, meaning that there would be no need to worry about pungent chemical odors in the restroom.
Sanitizing School Furniture with Ozonated Water
According to CDC guidelines, school interiors must be properly sanitized before and after school hours. This becomes challenging as chemical sanitizing agents take up storage space, require expensive cleaning crews, and are prone to human error. Moreover, rubbing alcohol-based sanitizer leaves a pungent and unpleasant odor in the air, which can be harmful to students.
Ozonated water is an aqueous disinfectant that is safer for both those that apply it and for students, as it leaves no chemical residues. It does not make the surfaces sticky or leave a pungent odor in the environment. In fact, ozonated water removes odor from surfaces that might cause other diseases.
Ozonated Water Sprays On Entry
Covering hallways and restrooms is not enough against the second wave of this pandemic. Initially, hand sanitizers were being used on campus gateways for sanitation and hygiene. But these harsh chemical sanitizers are bad for a child’s sensitive skin. With the high spreading rate of the new wave, creative solutions are required that don’t harm children. School staff can use an ozone spray bottle (OSB) from BioSure to spray the hands of each student on entry, removing potential viral contact in an instant without spraying any chemicals and harming delicate skin.
Giving Our Kids a Safe Learning Environment with a 3-Step Approach
Aside from home school orders, ozonated water is the best solution for keeping kids safe from viruses at school. Electrolytic ozone generators can be installed at school entrances, bathrooms, kitchens, and other water lines. Ozone spray bottles can be implemented as part of a morning and recess hand washing routine. A space sanitizer system (SSS) can then be used to disinfect the air in a room by releasing misting ozone that attaches to bacteria and viruses in the air. The misting ozone can disinfect clothes as students enter.
In Conclusion
With these combinations of surface and air sanitation, school staff can potentially neutralize the virus, allowing students to return back to school, and giving parents peace of mind. We can turn the tide against COVID-19 and give our kids the same safe school environments that we once had. As new research continues to highlight the efficiency of ozonated water in fighting against COVID-19, ozone could prove to be our best defense, and offense against this virus.