Carolina municipal gov’t cleans, disinfects high-traffic areas
As a measure to prevent communal contagion from COVID-19, the Municipality of Carolina has established a protocol to clean and disinfect areas with businesses and shops that provide essential services to the community, the mayor’s office confirmed.
The municipal Fire Department is in charge of the effort, conducted during the curfew period in place for Puerto Rico residents.
The firefighters will clean and disinfect grocery stores pharmacies, gas stations, banks, clinics, and food stipend locations. The businesses have been identified as those that are visited daily by citizens despite the social distancing order in place.
The cleaning and disinfection routine begins at 7 p.m., when the islandwide curfew starts.
The initiative began in the Isla Verde sector, usually a busy tourist zone, and covers business areas along Monserrate Ave., Los Colobos shopping center, and Escorial shopping center, among others.
The cleaning and disinfection is done with specialized equipment that sprays the detergent on all areas exposed to human contact,” Carolina Mayor José Carlos Aponte said. “The chemical is spread as a light vapor on surfaces to remove particles that may contain the virus. We have also included public transportation stops, since we’ve seen people who sit down to rest there, and ATMs that also have a high level of contact.”
The disinfectant detergent used has been tested and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, and does not generate adverse effects, and most importantly, it is effective in removing viruses such as the coronavirus, he said.