Infection prevention & control advice for hotels

Infection Prevention & Control advice in the event of an episode of vomiting and diarrhoea in a hotel

Management of ill Guests

  • If possible, keep accurate records of events and details of those affected (i.e. name, room number, date and time of when they became ill, symptoms, duration of symptoms etc.).
  • Seek medical advice from local GP if you are concerned about any of your guests and contact Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) if you consider any case to need urgent medical attention. If guests are admitted to hospital from the hotel the hospital should be informed of the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea prior to the guest arriving at the local emergency department.
  • Encourage symptomatic guests to remain in their own room until they are 48hours symptom free or they are checking out of the hotel to go home.
  • Encourage good hand hygiene with liquid soap and water for all guests, staff and visitors to the hotel premises after using the toilet and before eating.
  • Ensure sufficient amounts of fluids are available to guests for drinking to maintain good hydration.
  • Vomit or faecal spillages should be managed as per cleaning advice below.
  • Symptomatic staff should be excluded from work until they are a minimum of 48hours symptom free.
  • Notify your local Environmental Health Department if you have two or more cases of vomiting and/or diarrhoea and are concerned about a common source or link between the cases.

Practical Measures

Equipment which may be required to manage an episode of vomiting or diarrhoea

  • Disposable gloves and aprons and foot covers
  • Disposable household waste bags in a distinctive colour
  • Soiled linen bags
  • Sick bags
  • Detergent and disinfectant – contact your supplier for appropriate product
  • Disposable paper towel/roll and disposable cloths
  • Absorbent granules
  • Mop, plastic bucket, dustpan and plastic scraper
  • Warm water
  • Caution sign

 

Staff Safety

All staff cleaning a contaminated environment must use waterproof protective gloves and plastic aprons. All staff involved must receive adequate training.

Immediate actions:

  1. Cordon off the area - Ensure that the area where the spillage takes place is cordoned off and there is no access to guests/visitors.
  2. Cover the spillage - Cover the spillage with disposable paper towels/roll and allow spillage to absorb. Pour disinfectant solution onto towels/roll and leave for 3-5minutes (do not use disinfectant solution on carpets/soft furnishings; instead follow the steps below).
  3. Clear the spillage - Lift the soiled paper towels/roll, removing as much of the spill as possible and place in a disposable household waste bag, which can be sealed and double bagged.
  4. Clean the area –
    5. 

N.B. It is important that you follow manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning any surfaces/equipment/furniture

General Cleaning Method

  • Avoid leaving and re-entering the area during cleaning (to avoid spreading contamination).
  • Place contaminated material / towels used to cover the spillage directly into a waste bag.
  • Wash immediate area with hot water and detergent using disposable cloths or using a wet vacuum containing a detergent solution depending on surface – see below.
  • Apply disinfectant directly to the contaminated area and its surrounds (at least 3 metres in all directions) after cleaning.
  • Dispose of aprons, foot covers, gloves and cloths into the waste bag.
  • Clean and disinfect non-disposable equipment after use.
  • Wash hands thoroughly afterwards.
  • Cordon off and thoroughly air until dry.

Table Place Settings

All table place settings i.e. cutlery, crockery, salt and pepper sets, tablecloths etc., within at least 3 metres in all directions of a vomiting incident must be disinfected, for example by the use of a dishwasher cycle at a temperature of at least 70C. Table linen should be handled as per soiled bed linen.

Hard Surfaces

All hard surfaces in the vicinity of the incident must be wiped down with a disinfectant solution including hand rails and door handles etc.

Note: Ensure separate disposable cloths are used for ‘dirty’ areas such as toilets.

Even in the absence of vomiting or diarrhoea, the practice of washing crockery in wash-hand basins in bedrooms is unacceptable.

Soft Furnishings

Initial cleaning should be followed by steam cleaning if the items are heat tolerant. If this is not possible, washing with a detergent solution should be considered.

Carpets

The area to be cleaned should extend at least 3m around the contaminated area. Carpets should be steam cleaned using a steam cleaner which reaches a minimum of 70C, unless the floor covering is heat sensitive and fabric is bonded to the backing material with glue. If this is the case, clean with detergent and water solution, and thoroughly air the area until dry before allowing people back in.

Bed Linen/Laundry

Contaminated bed linen/laundry should be placed in separate laundry bags and washed separately using a cold pre-wash sluice cycle (if available) followed by a full wash cycle at a minimum temperature of60C.

Where available, water soluble bags should be used for gross contamination. If an external laundry service is used, inform the operators of the likelihood of contaminated bedding, etc and identify any special requirements that they may have for the receipt of such articles.

Where there is gross contamination of laundry and disposal is being considered, waste disposal advice is available from your local Environmental Health Department.

Fabrics which can tolerate it should be washed at a temperature of at least 70C which should be attained for at least three minutes: other fabrics may be disinfected by the addition of sodium hypochlorite to the penultimate rinse. This should be of at least five minutes’ duration, at a concentration of at least 150ppm of chlorine.

Rooms Occupied by ill Guests

Rooms, which have accommodated ill guests, should be thoroughly cleaned when the guests depart. These rooms should be cleaned before other rooms so that they remain empty of guests for the longest possible time.

All tea making facilities and provisions, cups, spoons, glasses, teapots and other crockery should be placed in a plastic box with a lid. They should be washed and disinfected using a dishwasher cycle at a temperature of at least 70C. This procedure should also be followed when removing crockery etc after the guest has had room service. All items should be washed separately from other hotel crockery etc.

Dispose of teabags, coffee sachets, biscuits and other consumables.

Dispose of all toilet rolls and other toiletries and clean the holders.

When cleaning is complete replace towels and linen as necessary.

Where possible ventilate the room.

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