October 14, 2020
Remember the last time you coughed or had an itchy throat? If you鈥檙e like many of us now, you quickly run through the question: 鈥淎re these allergies or could this be COVID?鈥 in your mind. A number of seasonal allergens and asthma symptoms overlap with those of COVID-19, including coughs, headaches, sore throats, shortness of breath, and more. As travel rebounds and hotel occupancy increases, the potential exposure to environmental allergens could cause concerning symptoms to travelers. Consider the stress to guests, staff, and management if coughs, congestion, or headaches occur due to common allergens that could easily be remediated by choosing the right products for your guest rooms.
Many symptoms of COVID-19 and seasonal allergies are similar. Image Source: cdc.gov
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America offers some , including colds, flu, allergies, and asthma. Of course, individuals should seek advice from their doctor anytime they are concerned.
During the pandemic, the hospitality industry has overhauled cleaning protocols and procedures, with many going above and beyond CDC regulations. Hotels have added more comprehensive cleaning and sterilization procedures, provided staff and guests with the appropriate personal protective equipment, and sought out new ways to help housekeeping teams be efficient.
Many hotels recognize allergens are an issue and take proactive steps to improve air quality, including using microfiber cloths for cleaning hard surfaces, however these steps do not address allergens that already reside deep inside mattresses or pillows.
While sheeting and towels are laundered between each guest, mattresses and pillows are not disinfected or laundered at the same interval. If your mattresses or pillows harbor allergens, such as dust mites, debris, pet dander, or pollen, no amount of room sterilization can protect your guests from experiencing those uncomfortable 鈥 and now alarming 鈥 symptoms.
Making an investment in mattress encasements and pillow protectors 鈥 ones that are easy to remove and launder between guests 鈥 is one way to prevent allergens from negatively affecting the guest experience.
AllerEase庐 Professional was developed specifically for hospitality in partnership with housekeeping and hotel operations to protect investments in mattresses and pillows. The waterproof, allergen barrier utilized in AllerEase庐 mattress encasements and pillow protectors. prevents allergens from penetrating the mattress or pillow. This barrier also keeps any allergens that may already reside inside a mattress or pillow from irritating a guest when they sleep.
Not only does AllerEase庐 Professional protect against allergens, it also blocks viruses, bedbugs, bacteria, and more from collecting in your mattresses and pillows.
AllerEase庐 mattress encasements offer six-sided mattress protection. With the AllerEase庐 Duraflex鈩 System with Zip-Off Top, when the top needs to be changed, your staff only has to remove the top鈥攏ot the entire encasement. With quick zip action, housekeepers simply remove the top for laundering and replace it with a fresh one between guests, minimizing the guest鈥檚 exposure to allergens.
Pillow protectors are an easy way to immediately reduce a guest鈥檚 contact with dust mites, debris, or bacteria that may reside in a pillow. AllerEase庐 Professional Pillow Protectors can be installed over your current pillows to offer immediate protection.
Check out these other recommended tips for keeping pillows clean.
The specific fabric used in the AllerEase庐 Professional product line does not simply block microbes from getting into mattresses and pillows capabilities. Its antimicrobial barrier actually inhibits the growth of microbes on the fabric. Additionally, AllerEase庐 Professional is certified as viral blocking with Level 4 CDC (highest level) barrier performance per the CDC鈥檚 guidelines. Viruses cannot migrate into mattresses or pillows when covered with this solution.
Contact our team to learn more about how AllerEase庐 Professional can enhance your guest鈥檚 experience.
As the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) stated in their recent Position Paper, 鈥淭he COVID-19 crisis has dramatically changed significant aspects of pressure injury prevention in acute care hospitals.鈥 Learn more about this and how the pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in U.S. health care supply chains.
As hotels have overhauled their cleaning procedures in 2020, many have realized the critical need for mattress and pillow protection. Based on your feedback, here are the top 5 articles most useful articles of 2020.
For many properties, a housekeeping time and motion study is a useful tool to help evaluate the housekeeping process and potentially improve efficiency.