What is the coronavirus (COVID-19)?
COVID-19 is a disease which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that can be passed via respiratory secretions (i.e. saliva) and faeces, and which can successfully live for up to 2 to 3 days on certain surfaces. The coronavirus is an “enveloped” virus, meaning that it is surrounded by a protective layer of
fats and proteins.
COVID-19 can be transferred via hands from one surface to another. By touching a surface which has traces of COVID-19 on it, and then touching your face or eyes, you may become infected with COVID-19.
Soap and hand sanitiser are effective at denaturing the fats and proteins surrounding the virus, and therefore good ways to kill the virus. COVID-19 can live on some common household surfaces for up to 3 days.
Information and knowledge is evolving all the time. Currently it is thought that the virus can live for up to:
- 2-3 hours in the air
- 4 hours on copper
- 24 hours on cardboard, glass and metal.
- 2 or 3 days on plastic and stainless steel.
Therefore, these surfaces will need to be disinfected before they are safe to touch. All surfaces that are touched frequently, such as light switches, door handles, kitchen surfaces, and bathroom surfaces should be regularly disinfected.
During Your Stay
What to do if a guest has symptoms of COVID-19
- If a guests arrives at our property with symptoms of COVID-19 all guests will be expected to return home and self-isolate in accordance with current Government guidance.
- Guests who develops acute breathing difficulties should call 999.
- If a guest develops symptoms during their stay at our property, they must declare it and all guests return home to be tested and self-isolate while awaiting the test results.
- It is understood that if anyone staying in the property contracts the virus they will immediate inform the owners who can inform the guests of the next steps to be taken.
Steps that should be taken by guests if an infection is developed:
- Inform the property owner immediately.
- Before all guests depart, laundry bags will be provided for stripped bedding, towels and other removable fabrics.
- They should make sure bathroom bins have been emptied. Then both kitchen bins should be placed outside onto the patio.
- All surfaces should be wiped down with the provided disinfectant, including door handles.
- Windows should be left open or on the catch to allow air flow through the property.
- When these steps have been completed, all guests must vacate the property immediately to return home, arrange a test and self-isolate according to the government guidelines.
Once safe to do so we will deep clean the property following appropriate cleaning procedures from PASC UK. The guests of the coming week would be informed and either cancelled, delayed, or deferred.
Emergency maintenance procedures
If there is an emergency please contact us immediately. When it is necessary for us to enter the property we would ask that all guests vacate the property and we will enter with the appropriate PPE to resolve the problem. All guests would be allowed to re-enter the property once the issue is solved and we have vacated.
New cleaning guidelines for COVID-19
Further to our already stringent cleaning procedure we have incorporated the new government advice in dealing with COVID-19. Supermarket cleaning products do not comply with BS EN 1276. We disinfect using appropriate products containing either EN14675 or EN14476 as recommended. We ensure that it is left on surfaces for the required time to kill the virus.
Where possible we prefer to steam clean as this is highly effective and better environmentally.