Span America - COVID-19 Infection Control for Support Surfaces
Subject: Infection Control, COVID‐19 and Support Surface Cleaning.
COVID‐19 and its quick spread has brought infection control to the forefront of community and facility
healthcare. This has prompted CMS to direct surveyors to place more focus on infection control policies
and procedures when conducting site visits in post‐acute care facilities. 1
Infection control has always been a critical—though sometimes not standardized—component of
healthcare. This is especially true in post‐acute care settings, where smaller staff, more staff turnover
and training challenges can result in reduced adherence to infection control policies and procedures. 2
Post‐acute care providers are also challenged by a patient population that in general is more debilitated
than in acute care. These patients tend to have more illnesses, co‐morbidities and symptoms, which
make it more difficult to recognize small changes in their condition. Additionally, many post‐acute
patients cannot effectively communicate with staff when they have new health issues.
Considered together, these multiple challenges help explain why post‐acute facilities have been
described as “Ground Zero” in the battle against the spread of COVID‐19.
PressureGuard® Support Surfaces: Designed with infection control in mind.
By their nature, typical “roll‐up”‐style air therapy surfaces found in many facilities can make effective in‐
facility cleaning a challenge. In contrast, the stable outer shell design of Span‐America’s air therapy
surfaces allows them to be cleaned and disinfected in place much like a standard replacement mattress.
This enables a level of thorough, effective in‐room cleaning and disinfection that is extremely difficult to
achieve with roll‐up surfaces.
In addition, Span uses polycarbonate‐fortified LifeSpan® premium stretch fabrics on several of its air
surfaces. The polycarbonate additive in the coating of LifeSpan fabric provides a level of durability in the
presence of strong chemical cleaners and disinfectants unachievable with the standard stretch fabrics
used on most typical surfaces. This protection also reduces the potential for fluid ingress, which often
results from chemical degradation of a fabric’s fluid‐resistant coating over time.3
In support of facility infection control efforts, Span‐America recommends the following:
- Use an approved antimicrobial agent.
- For all the registered antimicrobial agents for disinfecting, please refer to List N: EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against Novel Coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2,
the Cause of COVID‐19. - Wipe down in place and adhere to the suggested manufacturer’s wait/dwell time.
- Properly rinse all cleaning agents and disinfecting chemicals after application with clean water and
allow to dry. - Over time, even approved cleaning solutions may cause damage to the integrity of the fabrics used
on medical mattresses. Cleaning agents that are strong enough to be efficacious cleansers and
disinfectants may cause degradation of the same fabrics on which they are being used. To
minimize negative impact and maximize the usable life of the medical mattress covers, attention
needs to be paid to the dwell time, or time the when the cleaning solution is in contact with the
fabric. This must be monitored and kept to the required time specified on the manufacturer’s
instructions. - For PressureGuard Surfaces that include microclimate management, the outer coverlet can be
removed and machine laundered. Air dry only. - During the cleaning process, covers should be thoroughly inspected for wear, cuts and tears, or
damage of any kind. If the cover has been compromised in any way, the product should be
removed from service and cover replaced. If the internal foam/system appears compromised,
i.e., discolored, damaged, wet, or has odor, the entire product should be disposed of immediately. - Terminal cleaning protocol between patients should be strictly followed.
Complete cleaning instructions can be found at spanamerica.com.
1. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press‐releases/cms‐announces‐actions‐address‐spread‐coronavirus
2. https://www.mcknights.com/news/workforce‐crisis‐among‐reasons‐why‐nursing‐homes‐are‐most‐at‐risk‐for‐covid-19
3. Span‐America.com: LifeSpan Fact sheet.
For more information:
https://www.cdc.gov/hai/index.html
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020‐03/documents/sars‐cov‐2‐list_03‐03‐2020.pdf
PS Infection Control, COVID‐19 and Support Surface Cleaning
CO# 2334