Rwilmer
Well-known member
Sanitizing machines help schools stay ahead of flu contamination
HOWELL ? Cleaning surfaces that students and food touch is among the new directives this year for township schools reporting a case of H1N1 virus, also called swine flu.
"You can't plan for everything that is out there," Jeff Sharp, the district's director of Buildings and Grounds, said as officials plan for health experts' predicted spike in flu cases this fall. "We have set up general procedures and guidelines for different levels of concern."
The district's purchase of three environmental sanitation machines might be the best protection for its 6,940 students.
"They are the first school district in the country to purchase the machines," said Wayne Lutz, a Manasquan resident and chief executive officer of Safe Air Corp.
Lutz brokered the sale of the $54,000 Zimek machines to the district at a 15 percent discount.
"This is a revolutionary piece of equipment developed over the past five years with Homeland Security," he said.
The Zimek machine essentially converts a hospital-grade disinfectant into a micro-mist capable of killing any bacteria or virus that would come into an enclosed space, Lutz said. Once finished, the machine cleans the air via a built-in vacuum.
Recently made available to the public, the Zimek was designed as a federal government in-house product and later was retrofitted to handle most pathogens.
"We use it every day," said Peter Dworsky, director of special operation safety and risk managements for MONOC Hospital Service Corp. of Wall, the only other owner of the machine in the area. "Depending on the virus, it can live up to 48 hours on surfaces. Often these viruses are easily transmitted by indirect contact."
Though the district did not have many swine flu cases in the spring, school officials said they are being pre-emptive.
"We had two or three students affected," Superintendent of Schools Enid Golden said. "But when we found out about it, the kids had been home and then returned to the school."
Golden, who was among 600 people at last week's health summit at South Brunswick High School addressing a possible pandemic, said school-age children are in the high-risk category.
On Friday, college campuses across the nation reported hundreds of suspected H1N1 cases. Health officials confirmed 17 people in New Jersey have died and 517 have been hospitalized because of swine flu.
"At this point, we are treating it similar to the way we treat seasonal flu," Golden said. "Our goal is to limit transmission and the need to close schools. Our actions will be based on the severity of what transpires."
Golden said district officials are working to provide remote access for students and staff so classes can continue should an outbreak force a school to close. A survey of students with home computers will be conducted.
After a review and a discussion with a microbiologist, newly appointed school doctor John Gumina gave the machines purchase his stamp of approval.
"There is no adverse effect to humans," Gumina said. "It's something I think all the school systems should have."
The bill for the three machines and their cleaning agents was $132,023.35. A five-year purchase agreement will mean an annual $32,000 bill on school budgets beginning in the 2010-11 school year, officials said. The chemicals, which will cost the district about $1,750 annually, have an approximately two-year shelf life.
"The products utilized in the machine are the same chemicals we already use in our facilities and have used for almost eight years now," Sharp said, but they will enable his staff to sanitize a room in a more effective manner.
Sharp said that when the MRSA virus became a national concern, the district implemented a second level to its disinfection protocol. This year, it has implemented a third level in response to last spring's swine flu outbreak.
Specific protocol pertaining to the machine's use will be developed as training and the severity of the flu season unfold.
Employees will be trained by disinfecting nurse's offices once the school year is under way.
"If it gets bad, we might use the machines on a more regular basis," Sharp said. "We expect the first time we'll need to use the machines will be on the buses. But we hope we'll never have to use them."
http://www.app.com/article/20090829/NEWS/908290328/1004/NEWS01/Sanitizing+machines+help+schools+stay+head+of+flu+contamination
HOWELL ? Cleaning surfaces that students and food touch is among the new directives this year for township schools reporting a case of H1N1 virus, also called swine flu.
"You can't plan for everything that is out there," Jeff Sharp, the district's director of Buildings and Grounds, said as officials plan for health experts' predicted spike in flu cases this fall. "We have set up general procedures and guidelines for different levels of concern."
The district's purchase of three environmental sanitation machines might be the best protection for its 6,940 students.
"They are the first school district in the country to purchase the machines," said Wayne Lutz, a Manasquan resident and chief executive officer of Safe Air Corp.
Lutz brokered the sale of the $54,000 Zimek machines to the district at a 15 percent discount.
"This is a revolutionary piece of equipment developed over the past five years with Homeland Security," he said.
The Zimek machine essentially converts a hospital-grade disinfectant into a micro-mist capable of killing any bacteria or virus that would come into an enclosed space, Lutz said. Once finished, the machine cleans the air via a built-in vacuum.
Recently made available to the public, the Zimek was designed as a federal government in-house product and later was retrofitted to handle most pathogens.
"We use it every day," said Peter Dworsky, director of special operation safety and risk managements for MONOC Hospital Service Corp. of Wall, the only other owner of the machine in the area. "Depending on the virus, it can live up to 48 hours on surfaces. Often these viruses are easily transmitted by indirect contact."
Though the district did not have many swine flu cases in the spring, school officials said they are being pre-emptive.
"We had two or three students affected," Superintendent of Schools Enid Golden said. "But when we found out about it, the kids had been home and then returned to the school."
Golden, who was among 600 people at last week's health summit at South Brunswick High School addressing a possible pandemic, said school-age children are in the high-risk category.
On Friday, college campuses across the nation reported hundreds of suspected H1N1 cases. Health officials confirmed 17 people in New Jersey have died and 517 have been hospitalized because of swine flu.
"At this point, we are treating it similar to the way we treat seasonal flu," Golden said. "Our goal is to limit transmission and the need to close schools. Our actions will be based on the severity of what transpires."
Golden said district officials are working to provide remote access for students and staff so classes can continue should an outbreak force a school to close. A survey of students with home computers will be conducted.
After a review and a discussion with a microbiologist, newly appointed school doctor John Gumina gave the machines purchase his stamp of approval.
"There is no adverse effect to humans," Gumina said. "It's something I think all the school systems should have."
The bill for the three machines and their cleaning agents was $132,023.35. A five-year purchase agreement will mean an annual $32,000 bill on school budgets beginning in the 2010-11 school year, officials said. The chemicals, which will cost the district about $1,750 annually, have an approximately two-year shelf life.
"The products utilized in the machine are the same chemicals we already use in our facilities and have used for almost eight years now," Sharp said, but they will enable his staff to sanitize a room in a more effective manner.
Sharp said that when the MRSA virus became a national concern, the district implemented a second level to its disinfection protocol. This year, it has implemented a third level in response to last spring's swine flu outbreak.
Specific protocol pertaining to the machine's use will be developed as training and the severity of the flu season unfold.
Employees will be trained by disinfecting nurse's offices once the school year is under way.
"If it gets bad, we might use the machines on a more regular basis," Sharp said. "We expect the first time we'll need to use the machines will be on the buses. But we hope we'll never have to use them."
http://www.app.com/article/20090829/NEWS/908290328/1004/NEWS01/Sanitizing+machines+help+schools+stay+head+of+flu+contamination
