During 2020 technology companies worked very hard to avoid the spread of Covid. Some great technology emerged during the year to avoid touching door handles and other commonly used surfaces. Interactive and innovative sanitising solutions became available along with security systems incorporating temperature sensing, occupancy counting and face mask detection. I am positive that no technology can entirely stop the spread of Covid, but I am certain it all helps.

I maintained social distance, I was careful to wash and sanitise my hands, I wore a face mask and gloves. I work in a safe environment and take my temperature every day before entering business premises. I did not contract Covid-19 from being at work, nor from social engagement. I contracted the virus, at home, in my lounge, on the sofa, most likely whilst enjoying a box set.

There was a long list of Covid symptoms throughout 2020, we were told what to look out for and when to get tested. My children attended school and very quickly there was a report of headaches. This was ignored, and since then a petition has been created to advise the government they need to be quicker in updating Covid symptoms and informing the public. Very quickly children stopped attending school and positive Covid tests increased at an alarming rate. My son, Freddie, came home with a headache just before the Christmas break. Freddie had a test, he was confirmed positive with Covid-19. I tested, my family tested, we were all negative.

Over the first two days of the Christmas break, Freddie isolated in his room, he touched absolutely nothing. His food was left outside his door, and of course being a typical 11 year old, as long as wifi was provided, he was generally in good spirits. However, trips to the toilet and occasional forgetfulness and strolling downstairs meant we did all share one thing – the air.

One piece of advice highly overlooked is the need for air circulation. 

This does not mean opening every window in the office or school, it would be freezing. The concept is very similar to that of smoke evacuation in fire safety, channeling the smoke in a certain direction through the building. We need to create the same behaviour for air to expel as quickly as possible in a controlled way. In our house, I opened the front window, and the back door, only. The fresh air was drawn in from one direction, pulled through the house and expelled from the back door. Wind, nicely helps to draw the air but having multiple windows and doors opened would create a whirlwind effect simply throwing the air everywhere and retaining it, this is what we need to avoid – Right-hand image needs to be avoided.

We managed to fend off the inevitable spread for 4 days using this practice. We all live together hence I use the word inevitable. However, in a school or office environment where people have shorter interactions, the above process can be VERY effective. 

If we approach this by believing everyone is infected, and secondly, imagining the virus as smoke, how can we avoid breathing in that smoke, and expelling it as quickly as it emits?

Holding fire doors open is a fire risk, this is common knowledge and something we all try to avoid, albeit in the wrong way. Triangular bits of wood are used, wedges I believe people call them, a swear word to me. Fireco products, Dorgard and Freedor, a retainer and door closer that can legally hold open a fire door, and close if the fire alarm activates are perfect products to help with fresh air inlets and exhausts for your building.

To finish my article, eventually we caught the dreaded virus, our entire family felt poorly, starting with dizziness. We all got retested, we were all now positive. We could only describe the feeling of flu for the majority of the illness, with severe dizziness and fatigue. The last symptom was the lack of taste, which whilst a strange sensation at first, became very depressing but finally cleared up over two weeks. Something I want to mention is at NO POINT did we have a temperature. When considering your return to work process, please please do not rely solely on reading temperatures, please enforce sanitising, with a product like Germgard. Please ensure staff wear face masks and please do not overlook the inexpensive solution of fresh air, it’s so important. If I hadn’t practiced this at home, we would have all become ill much sooner and not have been able to stagger the disease over the family and look after one another. 

We were very fortunate to stay out of hospital, and my heart goes out to people who have had a far worse experience. Stay safe. Please like and share, this is one thing we do want to go viral.

James Wheeler – Chief Commerical Officer l Fireco Ltd