School Disinfection Guidance in the Face of COVID-19 and Other Pathogens of Concern
Session Description
Reducing the incidence of infectious diseases in school settings can be daunting, especially where virulent pathogens are concerned. This presentation will help to identify where to disinfect, how to disinfect, when to disinfect, and what to use, based on evidence-based studies. Dr. Charles Gerba, an internationally-recognized microbiologist, has studied the spread of pathogens in school settings, offices, hotels, and other types of facilities. He identifies concerns, addresses misunderstandings about disinfection, suggests how to choose and use appropriate disinfection products, and provides guidance on helping others understand the approaches that work best. Dr. Gerba has presented to national and international infection control, nursing, facilities management, and healthcare organizations. His research has led to modifications in cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting procedures.
Learning Objectives
About the Presenter
Charles P. Gerba Ph.D., Professor, University of Arizona
Dr. Charles Gerba, an internationally recognized microbiologist, is a professor of Environmental Microbiology in the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona. He has been an author of more than 500 articles including several books in environmental microbiology, risk assessment, and pollution science. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the International Water Association. He has served on the Science Advisory Board of the United States Environmental Protection Agency for nine years and is currently a member of the Food Advisory Board of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration. His research studies pathogens in schools, offices, college campuses, hotels, and most recently he has been studying COVID-19. He is a frequent guest on national television programs exploring ways to halt disease spread and is the scientist whose studies on pathogens on shopping carts prompted supermarket chains nationwide to adopt the use of wipes for customer use. His work has led to changes in cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting practices. A sought-after presenter within the scientific community, he has presented at annual meetings for infectious disease, school nurse, school facility manager, and many other organizations. His goal is to reduce the burden of diseases and to share insights about techniques that can help stop outbreaks — or at least minimize their impact on the school and on the community-at-large.
Continuing Education
This presentation has been approved for the following continuing education units:
