Levels of Building Cleaning

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Yale Facilities has set its levels of building cleaning according to guidance provided in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) brief on SARS-CoV-2 and Surface (Fomite) Transmission for Indoor Community Environments.

CDC Brief Highlights

The view in the scientific community has continued to evolve regarding the risk of COVID-19 transmission. There is agreement that the relevance of SARS-Cov-2 virus transmission via fomite is very low. The CDC agrees with this view and has lowered their cleaning and disinfection guidelines in January 2021 and again, in April 2021.

SARS-CoV-2 and Surface (Fomite) Transmission for Indoor Community Environments:

  • The risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection via the fomite transmission route is low, and generally less than one in 10,000, which means that each contact with a contaminated surface has less than a one in 10,000 chance of causing an infection.
  • The principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus.
  • One study also evaluated the effectiveness of prevention measures that reduce the risk of fomite transmission and found that hand hygiene could substantially reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from contaminated surfaces, while surface disinfection once- or twice-per-day had little impact on reducing estimated risks.
  • In most situations, cleaning surfaces using soap or detergent, and not disinfecting, is enough to reduce risk. Disinfection is recommended in indoor community settings where there has been a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 within the last 24 hours.
Space Type Level of Service
Office and administrative

Cleaned quarterly during recess/breaks with only dust, vacuum, and trash removal service. This includes a full cleaning once per year (dust, high dust, vacuum, trash removal, carpet/floor cleaning).

Occupants will be required to place their trash in a receptacle in a common area or dumpster.

Occupants are responsible for procuring disinfecting wipes and disinfecting their own desks, chairs, workspaces, shared workspaces, shared administrative spaces, copy machines, computers, phones, and other equipment.

Public spaces

Cleaned and trash removal once per day, five days per week (seven daysper week for buildings/spaces with high occupancy on weekends).

Disinfecting wipes will be provided by Facilities Services in shared conference rooms for disinfecting of tables and chairs, as desired.

Occupants are responsible for providing disinfecting wipes for departmental conference rooms and spaces, breakroom refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots, water coolers, among others.

Public restrooms Cleaned and disinfected once daily, five days per week (seven days per week for buildings/spaces with high occupancy on weekends).
Stairwells, elevators, and hallways High-touch points cleaned once daily,five days per week (seven days per week for buildings/spaces with high occupancy on weekends). Stairs and hallway floors cleaned once per week.
Labs

Trash removed daily, five days per week. Floors cleaned once per week.

Occupants responsible for providing disinfecting wipes for shared equipment and high-touch work surfaces.

Classrooms

Cleaned once per day (if being used).

Disinfecting wipes provided in each classroom for users to disinfect before/after use.

Studios

Cleaned twice per year (at end of each semester); trash removed daily, fivedays per week.

Occupants responsible for providing disinfecting wipes for shared equipment and high-touch work surfaces.

Residential colleges and Graduate housing: Shared student bathrooms

Cleaned and disinfected once daily, seven days per week.

Facilities will provide disinfecting wipes for occupants’ use.

Residential colleges and Graduate housing: Community spaces (butteries, gyms, and game rooms)

Cleaned daily, seven days per week (if in use).

Occupants are responsible for providing disinfecting wipes and disinfecting refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots, water coolers, game equipment, gym equipment, other equipment, among others.

Residential Colleges: Student activity specialty spaces (pottery studios, printing presses, music practice rooms, among others)

Cleaned once per week.

Occupants responsible for providing disinfecting wipes for shared equipment and high-touch surfaces.

Healthcare facilities (YHC and YPB) Pre-COVID-19 Blue Sheet Levels of Service