Easing of COVID-19 restrictions: What Ghanaian hotels can’t gloss over before opening

The partial easing of the COVID-19 restrictions which have seen the return of conferences, workshops and funerals, among other social gatherings, is expected to revive the fortunes of the hotel industry in Ghana. The hospitality industry is the worse hit sector of economies across the world, witnessing more than 80 per cent of their revenues streams completely cut.

In heaving a deep sigh of relief, the President of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA), Dr Edward Ackah-Nyamike Jr, who is expectant about turn of events, revealed that such gatherings were a major contributor to hotels’ revenues, accounting for a minimum of one-third of annual turnover.

He told the Graphic Business that the easing of the restrictions on social gatherings could open up a major revenue stream necessary for the survival of the hotels and lead to a recall of some staff who were initially facing redundancy over the little to no activity in their employer facilities.

Big questions

However, the big question stills remains about the readiness of the facilities to host guests without subjecting them to COVID-19. All this while, hotels shut down have not been able to convince the public about how they intend to operate in the most hygienic way to win the confidence of the people to patronise their facilities.

Unlike the airlines, hotels are mostly quiet and the silence is sinking them even further although they have a role to play to attract the people.

An expert in hotel and resort security, Elinor Garely, a New York Manhattan-based writer, conducted some research and in her OP-ED she flagged a number of areas to watch, These can be a good pointers for our hotels to consider.

In the air

According to her, we can debate whether the Coronavirus lives on surfaces for minutes/hours/days; however, what is not debatable is the fact that the bug is airborne. Pathogen dissemination through the air occurs through droplets and aerosols typically generated by coughing, sneezing, shouting, singing, breathing, talking, toilet flushing, or a medical procedure.

Most of the larger droplets fall to a surface (gravity) and land within 3-7 feet of the original source. General dilution ventilation and pressure differentials do NOT significantly influence short-range transmission. However, smaller infectious aerosols, including droplet nuclei resulting from a dry environment can be affected by airflow patterns in space in general and airflow patterns surrounding the source in particular. Small aerosols can stay airborne and infectious for long periods of time (minutes/hours/days) and travel longer distances while infecting secondary hosts, who had no contact with the primary host.

A recent study (Evidence for probable aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a poorly ventilated restaurant) highlights the fact that the dining spot in Guangzhou had a poor ventilation system and was, in fact, 10 times lower than the ventilation rate advised by most authorities and professional associations.

The study also discusses how Ventilation Systems are an important resource to clean indoor environments from contaminants, including viruses, because of its ability to extract indoor air and introduce filtered air from the outdoor environment. In reality, once a SARS-CoV-2 positive individual enters a building, the only way to minimize the possibility of infection for others is CLEANING indoor air through ventilation systems.

Fresh air exchange

Professor Francesco Le Foche, a clinical immunologist at Policlinico Umberto I in Rome, has determined that “a well-designed ventilation system, which can guarantee the correct air exchange in indoor environments, can really help in reducing the spread of the virus….the introduction of clean air and the simultaneous extraction of exhausted air is a recommended action. It helps to purify the indoor air, hence reduces the possibility of infection among the occupants of a building.”

The ventilation systems should be used to clean the indoor air environment, therefore it in important to filter the outdoor air so that it does not bring contaminants into the indoor space. Ventilation systems should be used to minimize the possibility of infection between the occupants of the building.

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI)

UVGI is used to kill or deactivate microorganisms and can be used in hotels as another protective pathway. UVGI can eliminate virus particles in HVAC filters and installed in the upper parts of the rooms. The effectiveness of ultraviolet radiation depends on the intensity of the light and the time that a given pathogen is exposed to the light.

Elevators and public rest rooms

What do they have in common? Lack of ventilation. Poorly ventilated indoor spaces are Petri dishes for COVID 19. A study from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (Japan), found that “the odds that a primary case transmitted COVID 19 in a closed environment was 18.7 times greater compared to an open-air environment.”

The aerosolization of faecal matter from a toilet flush also spreads contagious COVID 19 by sending the infectious microbes into the air and they stay airborne for a few minutes (if not longer).

Swimming pools

Evidence for the virus spreading through water is limited; however, many pools are remaining closed because the virus, not likely to spread through the water, can spread when someone spits a mouthful of water into the pool, infecting people in close range when heads are out of the water (i.e. a group talking or kids playing nearby). Even someone shouting at a crowded pool can spread the virus into the water and/or the swimmer. In addition, because of the heavy traffic, surfaces are frequently touched (i.e., railing on the steps and exit/entry doors). The social distance at a pool is also difficult, if not impossible. Other areas of possible contagion include the bathrooms, dining room lines, shady indoor areas, etc.

Way forward

It might be a tall order but that is the reality COVID-19 has come to live with us over a long period. It is the best to see businesses back on their feet because it will get the economy back running again. Those who have lost their source of livelihood will have cause to smile again.

However, the onus lies on the hotels to double up with a major campaign that will convince the public that they can be safe using their respective facilities.