Expert leads disinfecting clinic for D218 staff

In the midst of preparing for the return of in-person instruction, District 218 turned to someone they knew and respected to train custodians in the latest disinfecting techniques to battle COVID-19.

“We’re incredibly lucky to get him,” said Assistant Director of Buildings and Grounds Lisa Krueger of Jim Miller.

With more than three decades of understanding the threat of bacteria and viruses to humans, Miller spoke clinically to custodians on their role in keeping District 218 students and staff safe.

He stressed procedures for cleaning hard surfaces, particularly those touched frequently during a school day such as doorknobs, bathroom doors, and push rails on doors.

Certified by the Food and Drug Administration and International Sanitary Supply Association, Miller reviewed the procedures for safe application of various disinfectants. And while custodians already understood their responsibilities, District 218 Director of Building and Grounds Rodger Ford wanted them to receive the latest training.

“We’ve dealt with MRSA and other threats in the past. We know what to do and just wanted our people to review best practices and learn the latest on how to prevent the spread of COVID,” Ford said.

Miller emphasized that hard surfaces do not pose the same threat of spreading COVID-19 as airborne droplets.

Wearing facemasks, which restrict moisture droplets from release, stands as the most important preventive measure, he stressed.

“These are critical. This is an airborne virus. Even the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has backed off of hard surfaces (as a likely threat). They’re saying it’s highly unlikely you will catch COVID-19 from a hard surface,” said Miller, a regional manager for Spartan Chemical

Health experts affirm this.

“Although the risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 increases steadily with age, younger people can get sick enough from the disease to require hospitalization. And certain underlying medical conditions may increase the risk of serious COVID-19 for individuals of any age,” according to the Harvard University Coronavirus Resource Center.

Harvard further stressed that people of any age should take preventive health measures like frequent hand washing, physical distancing, and wearing a mask when going out in public, to help protect themselves and to reduce the chances of spreading the infection to others.