Preschool in Jamaica Temporarily Closed after Outbreak of Disease

Last week, it was announced that an infant center and a preschool were temporarily closed in Jamaica so they could be cleaned and sanitized. These actions came after an outbreak of an infectious disease that can be spread from child to child or from contaminated surfaces.
 
Contaminated surfaces are not the only concern for preschools and daycare centers.  These types of facilities can often easily develop problems with indoor air quality (IAQ) issues as well. Poor indoor air quality can increase absenteeism, the spread of communicable diseases, trigger asthma and other respiratory issues, and cause uncomfortable conditions for both children and adults.
 
Another important consideration to keep in mind is the fact that children’s lungs are still developing and are more susceptible to infections and any pollution and contaminants they may breathe. In fact, children breathe up to 4 times as much per pound of body weight as do adults.
 
“In addition to making sure that surfaces are kept clean and regularly sanitized, preschools and daycare centers should be aware of indoor air quality pollutants and microbial pathogens that could be a health concern,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental.  “Everything from particulates, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde, lead, asbestos, pesticides, mold, bacteria, environmental tobacco smoke, radon and allergens from plants, pets, insects and rodents could cause issues. It’s important that parents, teachers and the faculty of these facilities be aware of all of these issues.”
 
For over a dozen years, child care centers, schools and facilities that house children in Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean have been able to turn to the indoor environmental quality professionals at Zimmetry Environmental. Their staff offers testing, consulting and solutions to prevent issues associated with surface contamination and indoor air quality issues.  If problems already exist, the source of the issue will be identified so that solutions can be implemented to resolve any problems.
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their microbial pathogen, indoor air quality, environmental and compliance consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005, or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality (IAQ), asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.
 

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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