COVID-19 Lockdown: We're Shocked Not Be Part of Essential Workers - Contract Cleaners
Members of the Contract Cleaners Association of Ghana (CCAG) says it comes as a shock to them that contract cleaners have been exempted from the list of services considered essential, who could be given authorization to move around and provide support services during the lockdown.
According to them with some of their clients being service providers and industries deemed as essential, they fail to understand how they will be able to effectively and safely provide their services without providing a safe and disinfected environment for their activities.
"We cringe at the endless possibilities of risk exposure that will be occasioned by not having professional cleaners at the respective work places, as faithful Ghanaians strive to deliver essential services during this critical time.
"We have the expertise and we know what goes Into proper disinfection of surfaces to ensure that we provide a safe working environment for staff. What if an essential staff is infected and leaves droplets on shared surfaces? What if other essential staff touch the same surfaces?
"The situation that is likely to result is one that is very chaotic and spells doom in the combat against COVID-19. We therefore appeal to policy makers to recognize the significance of the cleaning industry as an essential part of the national responses to the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19," a part of their statement said.
Read below their full statement:
COVID-19: FROM THE LENS OF THE CCAG
Prior to the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, one could attest to the harm and havoc wreaked by the virus, not only on China but on many superpowers across the globe. Frantic efforts are underway to find a vaccine, if not a cure, to deal with this deadly plague.
Noteworthy in this war to contain the virus are two measures - combat and defense measures. Until a vaccine is found, our combat measures are limited to efforts to prevent an infection, including maintaining proper hand hygiene, a healthy immune system, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings, disinfecting and sanitizing surfaces and common touch points, etc. In defense are the health and medical practitioners who are the first line of an infection and treat victims after confirmation of tests.
The recognition of this dichotomy of containment measures by policy makers is crucial because of our weak and frail medical infrastructure. The health and medical professionals remain resolute in the frontline of defense, but if our combat preventive measures fail, they will be overwhelmed, and the situation will be chaotic.
Members of the Contract Cleaners Association of Ghana (CCAG) appreciate their role as forerunners in combat and have been committed to fighting this menace, cognizant of the fact that contact remains the big issue in the spread of the novel virus and as such proper professional cleaning and sanitizing contact surfaces is paramount. As part of our duty and mandate to ensure cleanliness and good health for the good people of Ghana, we revamped our efforts and reviewed our cleaning protocols in line with standards for combating the pandemic in Ghana.
Accordingly, after the declaration of the lockdown by the President, the CCAG and its members had geared up, armed for the fight against COVID-19.
However, it comes as a shock to us that contract cleaners have been exempted from the list of services considered essential, who could be given authorization to move around and provide support services during the lockdown. With some of our clients being service providers and industries deemed as essential, we fail to understand how they will be able to effectively and safely provide their services without providing a safe and disinfected environment for their activities.
We cringe at the endless possibilities of risk exposure that will be occasioned by not having professional cleaners at the respective work places, as faithful Ghanaians strive to deliver essential services during this critical time.
We have the expertise and we know what goes into proper disinfection of surfaces to ensure that we provide a safe working environment for staff. What if an essential staff is infected and leaves droplets on shared surfaces? What if other essential staff touch the same surfaces?
The situation that is likely to result is one that is very chaotic and spells doom in the combat against COVID-19. We therefore appeal to policy makers to recognize the significance of the cleaning industry as an essential part of the national responses to the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19.
We remain committed to the fight against COVID-19 and would like to appeal to government and the relevant authorities to reconsider their stance on leaving professional cleaners out of the services considered essential for the period of the lockdown, if we really want to fight this menace with the right arsenal.
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