Coronavirus-Fighting Technology Allows Columbia Business To Open
COLUMBIA, MD — When the coronavirus swept across the country, most schools, businesses and government facilities were shut down. Parks were empty. Pools were vacant. But Goldfish Swim School Columbia has since adopted technology that has allowed the business to reopen to swimmers.
Goldfish Swim School Columbia is the only aquatics facility in the area using state-of-the-art HaloFogger technology to keep everyone in their facility as safe as possible. This innovative technology has been used at Michigan State University. MSU staff used HaloFogger machines to decontaminate spaces on campus, Goldfish Swim School Columbia General Manager Gillian Salazar told Patch.
"They realized that this technology could be effective to combat COVID-19. The HaloFogger generates a turbulent aerosol that uses evaporation to quickly disperse H202 vapor and increasingly concentrated micro-droplets everywhere in complex rooms to kill germs where they hide, ensuring that the HaloMist cleaning formula reaches even those spaces beyond the reach of sprays, wipes or UV lights," Salazar said.
"This technology allows Goldfish Swim School Columbia to achieve uniform coverage and disinfection throughout their entire facility. The HaloFogger is getting national attention because it is 'winning against COVID-19' and has already proven successful in fighting SARS and Ebola. The EPA has approved this technology for emergency use against COVID-19. Some schools and public transportation services are also using this technology," she said.
Goldfish Swim School Columbia was closed from late March through June due to the coronavirus. But thanks to this new technology and outfitting swim instructors and other employees with personal protective equipment, it is now open.
"The feedback from members has been overwhelmingly positive. Drowning is the No. 1 cause of accidental death for kids ages 1 to 4. Swim lessons are essential for all kids and water safety must continue to be a priority, even during a pandemic," Salazar said.
Annalisse Daly, Goldfish Swim School Columbia member and mother of three, said that before the pandemic, Goldfish was already good at keeping its facility clean and sanitized, better than almost any other business she had encountered.
"Because of that track record and their new reopening policies, swimming lessons are now the one activity my children do outside the home. The day we go to lessons my children sleep better, fight less and focus better for the rest of the day. Swimming at Goldfish Swim School is the one activity I feel safe letting my kids participate in despite the pandemic, and the benefits to the rest of our home life are enormous," Daly said.
Goldfish Swim School Columbia is located at 9315 Snowden River Parkway.
This article originally appeared on the Columbia Patch
