HALIFAX -- A Nova Scotia restaurant is among many Maritime businesses taking extra cleaning measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Fry Daddy’s is implementing new cleaning procedures at both its locations in Windsor, N.S. and Lower Sackville, N.S.
Owner Bruce Taylor says most items, such as menus and condiments, have been taken off the tables so they can be wiped down before being handed to a customer.
There are salt and pepper shakers on the tables, but those, along with the tables themselves, are being wiped down after every customer.
Staff are being instructed to wash their hands as often as possible.
“It’s important for our staff, to make sure our staff don’t get infected,” Taylor says. “And it gives our customers more of a sense of security.”
Other businesses in the Halifax area are doing the same, including gyms and yoga and Pilates studios.
Meanwhile, the phone has been ringing off the hook at a cleaning supply store in Halifax, as coronavirus concerns lead to an increased demand in hand-sanitizing products.
Dan Downey, an employee at Action Janitorial Supplies, says he is continuously letting customers down – but there’s nothing he can do until more products arrive at the warehouse.
“Most of the time, the turnaround time is two weeks before we can get you anything,” he had to explain to a customer on Thursday.
Downey says the store has anywhere from 50 or more customers waiting for hand sanitizer inventory to arrive.
“When H1N1 virus was out it was busy back then too, but that was more around the masks, but even with this virus, masks are still hard to come by,” Downey explains.
“It’s tough out there.”
Another cleaning supplies company in Halifax is dealing with the same shortage problem.
DaLCaM Sanitation Solutions had a three-month supply of hand sanitizer last week, but the company’s president says that sold out within two days because customers are doubling and tripling their orders.
“We’re getting calls from customers that haven’t called us in years,” says company president Lee Clarke. “We’re getting calls from our regular customers that are looking to buy more sanitizers, more disinfectants, more cleaners and generally looking for advice on what to do in their particular establishment.”
Clarke’s customers include nursing homes, hospitals, hotels and restaurants. He says they are all well-stocked and prepared as coronavirus concerns rise globally and around the region.
Taxi companies and car dealerships are new customers for Clarke’s Halifax business -- he says he has received calls from as far as Cape Breton.
“Some of the products are no-rinse approval so you can clean and disinfect and don’t have to rinse it off – very important,” Clarke explains.
Cleaning supply companies say, while hand sanitizer remains in extremely low supply, washing your hands is still the best way to protect yourself.
