After the Coronavirus Shutdown, a Possible Uptick in Legionnaires

Legionnaires is a disease that you don’t want to catch. It’s most commonly spread through man-made facilities, such as water fountains, sink faucets, cooling towers, and showerheads. Legionnaires is a type of pneumonia, and it causes symptoms such as headache, fever, cough, stomach problems, and sometimes, death. This serious infection usually stays in the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body.

Why a possible increase after coronavirus stay-at-home-orders?

When the coronavirus pandemic hit the US, businesses all over the country effectively shut down. This lowered the chances of employees and customers from catching covid-19. However, it also created the circumstances for a different possible outbreak. Legionella bacteria thrive in stagnant water. This means the pipes, equipment, or water tanks at a business could be swarming with the disease. Leaving water systems dormant for long periods of time means a greater chance of Legionella and other viruses growing.

States are opening up and people are getting ready to go back to work. Now is the time for business owners to make sure their water systems are properly disinfected to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Now is not the time to cut corners or take a chance.

Preventing a Legionella outbreak

Because Legionnaires does best in warm environments that haven’t been disinfected, a water treatment plan is your best bet at avoiding an outbreak. Chlorine or another disinfectant needs to be in a water system to decontaminate effectively. Coming up with an extensive water treatment plan is more important now than ever. And for larger systems and buildings, it’s even more vital.

If your business hasn’t been checking in on your water systems during the shutdown, you’ll need to do a full inspection before opening up again. The most effective way to do that is by putting the job in the hands of professionals. Your business needs to open as soon as possible, so it’s vital to get your water tank disinfected quickly and efficiently to avoid this dangerous disease.