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3-Ply Face Mask
These disposable masks feature a 3-layer design with elastic ear straps.
Protect Your School and People With Quality PPE For Schools
With a majority of students and staff returning to school either full or part time, administrators need a thorough plan for how to prevent everyone from contracting and/or spreading COVID-19. This includes a plan for providing PPE for schools, understanding what equipment is necessary and how much is required, how to implement rules, how to properly sanitize surfaces and workspaces, and clearly understanding WHO, CDC, and PHAC guidelines. At Kwikcare, we are committed to providing a variety of affordable PPE for schools throughout Canada. Kwikcare is based in the Ottawa Valley and we are in a unique position to utilize existing relationships with distributors in order to ensure the safety and comfort of our clients in the education sector. Our mission is to make it easier for you to care for the people in your charge. Learn more about reopening guidelines and how to protect your school below, and please reach out to our team if you have any questions.
Featured Product: The Power Breezer®
Utilize this innovative misting fan to quickly and efficiently sanitize entire rooms up to 3000 square feet in 30 minutes or less.
Power Breezer® Disinfecting Misting Fan
Originally designed to cool down manufacturing spaces, athletes, or auto shops, the Power Breezer has been renovated to help various industries disinfect rooms and surfaces. The cooling machine is filled with EPA-approved disinfectants that are diluted to about a 0.1 solution in water following the CDC guidelines. The large fan-like machine then turns the water/disinfectant solution into a fine mist that is then blown throughout a room.
The Power Breezer could be used for classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, lecture halls, and many other larger spaces that would take considerable materials and manpower to disinfect properly. The machine can blow the mist between 30 to 60 feet.
To use this equipment, the room would need to be vacated, it would blow the mist for about five or six minutes, and the mist is left on the surface for another five to eight minutes to thoroughly disinfect the surface. The room would then need to be aired out before anyone could reenter the room, and face coverings would still need to be worn.
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Kwikcare Offers Several PPE Products
- Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer
- 3-Ply Face Mask
- Alcohol Disinfectant Wipes
- Cotton/Polyester Face Masks
- N95 Face Masks
- Face Shields
- Portable Sanitation Systems
- Infrared Non-Contact Thermometer
- Nitrile Gloves
- Employee Hygiene Safety Kits
How to Prepare For Reopening With the Right Type of PPE For Schools and Safety Products
With two million students, tens of thousands of faculty and staff, nurses, janitorial staff, and others returning to public schools, mitigating the spread of COVID-19 will be an immense undertaking. Classrooms, restrooms, cafeterias, lecture halls, and sports facilities will be filled with people, making social distancing challenging, and everyone will be coming in contact with hundreds of surfaces throughout a single day.
It is our goal at Kwikcare to provide education administrations with the required PPE that will ensure everyone’s safety and to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. With the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), along with quality PPE, schools can reopen safely and children can continue to receive the education they need.
Using PPE to Safely Reopen Schools and Protect Students and Staff
SickKids, a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto, has released new proposed guidelines for reopening schools in Ontario, including recommendations for staggered lunch times, no large assemblies, and mandatory masks for older students. In order to reduce cases in young people, the proper care and PPE must be used in your school.
Non-Medical Masks
Kwikcare carries two types of non-medical face coverings: 3-ply face masks and cotton/polyester reusable face masks.
Preschool children between the ages of around three to five years will be encouraged to wear a face mask or cloth face covering, but they are not required to. Proper hygiene training and practices will be highly important for stemming the spread of the virus in young children. Primary and secondary students in grades four through 12, as well as college and university students, will be required to wear a non-medical mask or cloth face covering while at school.
According to the SickKids COVID-19 Guidelines, the use of non-medical masks should be determined by considering local epidemiology and whether or not the masks can be properly worn and used. When local transmission of the virus is low, the use of non-medical masks should not be mandatory for students of all ages; however, students who wish to wear a mask should be respectfully allowed to.
Shop NowMedical Masks
Kwikcare carries N95 face masks that provide greater protection and filtration.
FDA & CE Certified N95 Face Masks
N95 masks are designed to protect the wearer from dust, fumes, fibers, viruses, and bacteria. They filter out 95% of solids and liquids that do not contain oil.
According to an article published by the Ottawa Citizen, all staff in Ontario will be required to wear medical masks that are supplied to them by the administration. This can include teachers, administrators, nurses and other healthcare workers, and others. Kwikcare offers quality, affordable PPE for schools throughout Canada, and we are committed to keeping your school and the people throughout the property safe. As for janitorial and maintenance staff, whether they wear medical or non-medical masks is determined by either their employer or their direct supervisor. If custodial staff within your facility are provided with non-medical masks, and local transmission rates determine that medical masks may be necessary, the school administration can choose to supply them with medical masks.It is Also Important For Everyone to Use Masks Correctly.
The CDC offers the following guidelines for how to wear a mask correctly:
- Hands should be thoroughly washed before putting on the mask.
- The mask should be worn over the nose and mouth and secured under the chin.
- The mask should fit snugly against the sides of the face.
- Wearers should be able to breathe comfortably.
- Handle the mask only by the ear straps.
- Don’t touch the mask when it’s being worn, or if there is contact, hands should be disinfected right away.
- Don’t wear the mask around the neck or chin. Hands should be washed or disinfected immediately after removing the mask.
Gloves
Take a more aggressive approach to protecting yourself and others with Nitrile gloves.
Nitrile Gloves
These disposable Nitrile gloves are powder-free, puncture resistant, and feature a beaded cuff making them a comfortable option for use over long periods of time.
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In certain circumstances, staff may wish to wear enhanced personal protective equipment, such as when a student becomes ill while at school or when someone is sick within close physical distance. Gloves should also be worn by janitorial staff as well as all food service staff members.
Nitrile gloves are latex- and powder-free, reducing the risk of students and staff having an allergic reaction. Nitrile gloves are made with synthetic rubber, making them a strong, durable, and puncture resistant option. The synthetic rubber material also makes them more comfortable, so users can wear them for longer periods of time.
The CDC recommends that children bring their own lunches whenever possible to avoid students and staff coming in contact with cafeteria supplies, such as lunch trays and utensils. When possible, disposable products should be used in order to avoid contact with certain items and to reduce the need for properly cleaning and sanitizing items.
When it is necessary to use non-disposable items, staff should wear gloves.
- Staff should thoroughly wash their hands prior to putting on gloves, as well as immediately after taking off the gloves.
- While wearing gloves, staff should avoid touching their face, and if they do, immediately take off the gloves and put on a clean set.
- To properly remove gloves, the CDC recommends the following process:
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- Start by grabbing the cuff of the glove, and peeling it down off your hand so that the glove is turned inside-out. Avoid touching the skin.
- Hold the removed glove in the hand that is still wearing a glove.
- To remove the second glove, put your fingers inside the glove at the cuff.
- Slide the glove off so that it also is turned inside-out, with the first glove inside the second. Immediately dispose of the gloves and wash your hands.
Hand Sanitizer
To reduce the spread of COVID-19, equip your classrooms, lunchrooms, and other common areas with hand sanitizer. The Government of Canada recommends an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol. Kwikcare offers two types: Germs Be Gone and Tro Instant Hand Sanitizer.
Hand hygiene will be essential in protecting staff and students. According to the SickKids guidelines, hand hygiene, including hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer, is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Students of all ages should be taught how to properly wash their hands, the importance of not touching their face, eyes, and nose, and to cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
Students and staff should wash or sanitize their hands before entering and after exiting the building, before and after eating, after using the restroom, and before and after playing with shared equipment or toys. If necessary, school administrators should also implement regular breaks to allow students and staff to wash or sanitize their hands. To avoid unnecessary traffic in school hallways or bathrooms, hand sanitizer can be stored at designated washing stations that are set up throughout the facility, such as at entries and exits to cafeterias, inside classrooms, lecture halls, sports facilities, and common areas.
- When applying hand sanitizer, squeeze or pump the product into the palm of one hand and spread it all over the surface of the hands, including in between fingers and the backs of the hands.
- Do not touch your face or other surface until the hand sanitizer is completely dry.
Alcohol Disinfectant Wipes
Each package contains 50 wipes, contains 75% alcohol, and they are 99.99% effective and sterilizing surfaces and items.
Alcohol Wipes
It is inevitable that children will come in contact with various surfaces, increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19. Along with regular hand washing and sanitizing, faculty and staff should frequently use disinfectant wipes to clean surfaces.
Surfaces that will need frequent sanitizing include playground equipment, door handles, handrails, sink handles, drinking fountains, desks, chairs throughout the building, tables, office equipment, seats on buses, and others.
To prevent contamination, it will be important for faculty and staff to discourage sharing items, materials, and devices, assign a specific desk, locker, cubby, etc. for each student when possible. This will reduce the number of surfaces that need to be sanitized.
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- Disposable gloves should be worn when disinfecting surfaces or materials.
- Keep the surface wet after wiping.
- Don’t overuse each wipe.
Non-Contact Thermometer
For faculty and staff, a thermometer can quickly determine if someone has a temperature and if they should not come into the building.
Medical Grade Infrared Non-Contact Thermometer
Check temperatures efficiently and safely with a medical grade infrared thermometer.
Even though using a thermometer for the student population is not recommended as it would cause a considerable amount of time, administrators may want to consider a non-contact thermometer for faculty and staff. An infrared, non-contact thermometer is the safest way to determine someone’s temperature as there is no contact between the subject and the thermometer. With infrared, light bounces off the person and the thermometer will detect if there is any radiation being emitted. These thermometers are very accurate, ensuring that everyone can be confident that they are safe and well enough to work.
Hygiene Safety Kits
Hygiene safety kits make it easy to protect staff no matter where they are in the building.
SanBox Employee Hygiene Safety Kits
Included in each kit are 10 individually wrapped three-ply face masks, 10 individually wrapped alcohol wipes, one bottle of Germs Be Gone hand sanitizer, and a hygiene safety tips card.
Convenient and affordable, these hygiene safety kits are perfect for teacher classrooms, teachers’ lounges, and administrative offices. The compact kit can easily be stored in a desk drawer for easy access whenever someone comes in contact with a nearby surface that needs to be wiped down with an alcohol wipe or if a mask is used incorrectly and a new one is needed right away. While hand washing with soap and water is always preferable, it’s all too common for teachers and staff to face busy schedules and days where they just can’t get away to wash their hands in the restroom. When proper PPE supplies are easily accessible and used appropriately, surfaces like desks, door handles, and even writing utensils can be cleaned and disinfected more frequently, hands can be sanitized, and harmful particles in the air can be minimized.Portable Sanitation System
When your students and staff are on the go, your PPE equipment can be right there with them.
GF500 Portable Sanitation System
Whether it’s for sports practice, a lunch room, or even in a classroom, this portable sanitation system does not require any electrical or water hookups and can hold five gallons of water for 40+ hand washes.
According to SickKids, hand hygiene is one of the best ways to keep people safe in order to limit the spread of the virus. But it’s not always easy to get students to wash their hands as frequently as they should, especially when they are moving from place to place. The GF500 mobile wash station is easy to relocate to wherever it’s needed The station features holders for soap, hand sanitizer, gloves, paper towels, and garbage bags. There are additional features as well, including a heated tank for warm water, an auto-fill system when a water supply is available, touchless faucet, and touchless soap and sanitizer dispensers to minimize contact. The CDC Provides the Following Instructions For Proper Hand Washing:- Get your hands wet with clean, running water.
- Apply soap and lather your hands by rubbing them together, washing the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Rub your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. Thoroughly rinse your hands using clean water.
- Before and after eating
- After using the restroom
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching your face
- After touching garbage
Keep Your Faculty, Staff, and Students Safe With Personal Protective Equipment For Schools
Partner With Kwikcare For Affordable PPE
How to Determine Quantity of PPE For Your School
A significant factor in keeping your school safe is ensuring that there is ample personal protective equipment available for everyone in the building at all times.
Determining how much PPE you need for your school starts with calculating the consumption rate, or burn rate. First, find the total number of people that will be in the building who you will be supplying PPE for. Then, calculate how many supplies you currently have on hand, including face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and other resources that cannot be reused. Each day, calculate the remaining supplies and as data is gathered, you can estimate an average use of each material. With the average usage, you can then calculate how long existing supplies will last.
The CDC has developed a Personal Protective Equipment Burn Rate Calculator which will make this process clear and efficient. While the calculator was designed for healthcare facilities, the same process can be used for your school.
Kwikcare works closely with our PPE vendors in order for our customers to receive the supplies they need as quickly as possible. Although production of PPE is not an issue, there may be a time constraint for shipping the supplies. The Kwikcare team encourages school districts to plan ahead and place a recurring bi-weekly or monthly shipment in order to maintain a steady supply of equipment for your school. We keep large stocks of various supplies; however, what we have available will depend on the demand at the time.
Other Considerations For Keeping Your Staff, Students, and School Facility Safe
The CDC has supplied school administrators with a vast amount of information on how to protect faculty, staff, and students by using quality personal protective equipment for schools. The CDC has also put together some key considerations for school administrators.
- Understand and know how to recognize signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
- Understand the various ways in which COVID-19 can be transmitted.
- Continually monitor transmission rates of COVID-19 in the community.
- Consider methods of cohorting, such as keeping students in class pods, staggering lunches and when classes are dismissed, and the use of non-traditional classroom spaces, such as outdoors.
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Work With Kwikcare to Keep Your School and Community Safe
Kwikcare is committed to protecting our communities by providing affordable, quality PPE for schools. We have a dedicated team who is ready to help you get what you need for everyone to be safe and successful during the school year and beyond. From medical PPE to sanitizer and disinfectants, you can count on us to supply your school with the equipment you need for everyone to be confident while they learn and work. Visit our FAQ page to learn more about ordering PPE, or contact our team if you have any other questions.