2021 has been a very important year for businesses in Ireland. As of early August, businesses, especially the hospitality industry, have been given permission to host their returning customers inside their premises. While the main eligibility criteria for indoor dining is customers with authentic proof of vaccination, the majority of the public is getting ready to return to the new normal and continue to live with the virus.

With the arrival of the highly contagious Delta variant, aka the B.1.617.2, the general public has a sense of caution when returning to pubs, bars, and restaurants. Once again, businesses such as the hospitality industry, as well as Food and Beverage, have to adequately prepare to ensure that everyone in their premises is not at risk of transmitting Coronavirus.

Delta Variant and How It Spreads Inside Your Business

The Delta variant, or the B.1.617.2, was first identified in India in December and is now the dominant variant in the US and UK, and it may account for almost 70% of cases in Ireland. The Delta variant of the Coronavirus, just like its predecessors, spreads mainly through infected people when they come in contact with others. The aerosols of an infected person can come in contact with another individual upon breathing or get in contact with their eyes, nose and mouth. Since the Delta variant is known to be highly transmissible, businesses reopening their indoor dining facilities should be careful as the virus can be easily transmitted in enclosed indoor spaces.

How Can Reopening Businesses Stay Safe?

Reopening businesses that are providing an indoor dining experience should ensure that they have adequate measures in place to protect their staff and customers, as businesses are expected to provide proper ventilation, hand and surface hygiene solutions to their customers when they are indoors.

Top suggestions to help you provide safe indoor dining:

1. Hand Hygiene:Businesses should offer hand hygiene solutions to their customers when they are dining indoors including hand washing, sanitising and drying facilities.
2. Surface Hygiene: Surface Hygiene and sanitisation of surfaces should be carried out before and after the serving of customers to help prevent surface transmission of COVID-19.
3. Air Purification: Constant change and purification of indoor air are important to prevent airborne transmissions.
4. FloorCare: Indoor floor mats can be a good way for businesses to keep dirt and other unhygienic substances outside when their customers enter their premises.




Initial Hygiene Solutions For Indoor Dining

As the expert in Hygiene for more than 90+ years, Initial Hygiene has offered professional hygiene solutions and services to Irish businesses since the start of this pandemic. The range of products and services are designed to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and its variants to help protect the public.


The top products for businesses to have safe indoor dining

1. Automatic Hand Sanitiser and Soap Dispensers: The No-Touch Hand Hygiene range by Initial features Hand Sanitisers and Soap Dispensers that businesses can install inside their premises to offer a high-quality hygiene experience to their customers.
2. Surface Hygiene Solutions: The UltraProtect Surface Hygiene range by Initial is suitable to sanitise indoor premises as it kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria in 15 seconds.
3. Hand Dryers: Hand Hygiene is not complete with just hand washing and sanitising. Hand drying is important as wet hands attract more germs if not dried properly, and Initial Hand Dryers are here to help you with that.
4. Enviropure Air Purifier: This air purifier by Initial contains HEPA and carbon filters that are designed to capture 99.97% of airborne particles, odours, bacteria and viruses.
5. Initial Floor Mats: Innovative Microfibre entrance mats by Initial will keep your indoor premises clean and hygienic by collecting all the external dust when your visitors enter.




Conclusion

It is important that if your business offers safe indoor dining and that it follows new and improved hygiene protocols. It is beneficial to prepare and plan ahead to help minimise losses and prevent damage to your reputation.
If you are looking to get the best hygiene solutions for your business, get in touch with our local experts to see how we can help you stay protected.