Tourism Industry Standard Protocols for Covid-19 Operations

The following protocols for COVID-19 operations for self-catering accommodation as set out by TBCSA, have been adopted by Stay in Paternoster:

1. IN THE OFFICE

Screening:  All staff are required to complete a daily health questionnaire and have their temperatures taken by a thermal no-contact scanner and recorded upon arrival at work.

All staff clearly understand the following:

  • The virus, how it is spread, the symptoms and how long it survives on various surfaces.
  • The required sanitisation and distancing procedures for themselves and for guests.
  • To ensure that the space between any persons in public areas and back of house areas is a minimum of 1.5 metres at all times, with two metres preferred, unless the persons concerned are small groups of connected friends or family travelling or staying together
  • To provide staff who may temporarily be closer than 1,5 metres to other employees or clients at any point during the performance of their duties, with additional PPE, such as visors or goggles, or provide physical barriers such as Perspex or similar.
  • Appropriate effective disinfectant surface cleaners are used and hand sanitisers must be 70% alcohol.

2. RECEPTION AREA

  • SCREENING: All guests are required to complete an online health questionnaire. This will be sent to you to complete prior to arrival. Guests will also be required to have their temperatures taken by a thermal no-contact scanner before allowing entry to the reception area.
  • Members of staff attending to guests and using an area or a facility continuously, such as a counter or desk, will sanitise their work surface after every guest use.
  • Sufficient sanitiser or sanitising wipes will be provided for guests through-out public areas to enable them to sanitise their hands, on arrival and after touching any surfaces.
  • All visitors or clients to wear cloth or other suitable masks at all times, other than in the privacy of an accommodation unit or room.
  • Obtain name and contact details, information with respect to trip details, COVID-19 status and risk profile, and answers to COVID-19 screening questions from all guests staying in properties.
  • Ensure that all clients are adequately informed, via either leaflets, signs, posters, apps and/or briefings of the COVID-19 operating protocols, why they are necessary and how they affect them

3. SURFACES

  • All non-manned surfaces which guests or staff touch, in public areas or back of house areas must be sanitised regularly. The frequency of sanitisation will depend on the extent of usage and nature of the surface and must be determined and monitored.
  • Handling of items are minimised with use of on-line reservations, e- check-in and e-check-out, and any types of non- contact processing to reduce the need for proximity of people and touching. No cash handling is allowed and credit card transactions limited to the minimum possible. If a guest or staff member handles paper, cash, pens etc, hand sanitising happens immediately afterwards.
  • Keys are sanitised before being handed to the guest and sanitised upon return.
  • All non-essential, loose-standing items have been removed from the reception area.

4. SUB-CONTRACTED CLEANING STAFF

Screening:  All cleaning staff are required to report to the office before cleaning any unit and have their temperatures taken by a thermal no-contact scanner and recorded.

All cleaning staff clearly understand;

  • The virus, how it is spread, the symptoms and how long it survives on surfaces as per principles listed below.
  • The required sanitisation and deep cleaning procedures.

5. ACCOMMODATION UNITS

  • All bookings have one-day cleaning allocated and block off before and after each booking to ensure each unit is thoroughly sanitised between bookings.
  • Surfaces in rooms have been decluttered and all excess items have been removed.
  • Increased cleaning and sanitisation procedures have been implemented with all units being sanitized immediately after guests have checked out, left for at least 24 hours and then deep cleaned and sanitized. On the morning of guests’ arrival, the units are treated with a sanitizing fogger and no-one enters the house after that and before guests arrive.