Coronavirus Update Hereford – Pest Management is an Essential Service

Updated: Apr 4, 2020

Pest control is an essential service and we must continue to protect our clients from pest issues. PGM Pest Control Hereford - We've Got You Covered!

The professional pest management sector in the UK has a critical role to play in:

Protecting the nation’s food supplies
Protecting key workers in their work environments particularly hospitals, schools and supermarkets
Protecting the vulnerable and sick from further exposure to disease
Protecting the public from the mental distress a pest infestation may cause

IF THERE IS A CRITICAL OR IMMINENT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH PGM & SON PEST CONTROL WILL CARRY OUT EMERGENCY VISITS.

If you have a pest problem, please call us to discuss it with us. Pest control and risk control are the key elements of our role so we can discuss options and solutions for you which may include things you yourself can do to keep an infestation at bay or we may be able to set your mind at rest about a pest problem you think you may have.

HELP US TO HELP YOU BY SENDING US PHOTOS OF YOUR PEST PROBLEMS:- contact@pgmpestcontrol.co.uk

Here are some of the pleas for help we’ve received this week:

My elderly Mother has rats coming into her kitchen

Help! I’m confined to my house with 3 children and fleas!

We’re looking after key workers’ children and need to ensure our premises stay rodent free

What does the Government say?

The UK Government says that UK citizens can only leave home for one of the following reasons:

Shopping for basic necessities, such as food and medicine, and as infrequently as possible
One form of exercise outside a day, either alone or with members of your household
A medical need or to help a vulnerable person
Travelling to and from work but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home

- If there is a public health risk from pests, pest controllers can therefore carry out visits -

Pest control trade bodies have been lobbying the Government to specifically name pest control professionals as key workers. This week, pest management professionals have been formally recognised as key workers in Northern Ireland and trade bodies are looking forward to a similar response from the English and Scottish Governments and the Welsh Assembly.

How will we keep people safe if we need to carry out a visit?

Increased use of Personal Protective Equipment

We use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including gloves, masks and suits. PPE is very important when using chemicals and when treating certain types of infestations such as fleas. It’s normal for pest controllers to arrive on site wearing PPE for certain pest jobs.

However, we will be wearing our PPE more than usual at this time to protect all our customers, their families and our own team. You can expect us to be wearing mask and gloves on every visit. We may also be wearing PPE suits depending on the type of visit and the risks involved.

Risk Assessment

We always risk assess visits as part and parcel of our normal business. However, during this time we may spend additional time remotely discussing your pest issue with you prior to any visit. We will not be making any unnecessary visits for the reasons stated above. However, there are many ways in which we can reduce risks and continue to solve public health pest issues. It is very important that you be transparent with us at this time about your circumstances so that we can safely help you to deal with any pest problems without putting people at risk.

PLEASE TELL US IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS, HOWEVER MILD, OR IF YOU ARE IN A HIGH-RISK GROUP. THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AS WELL AS OURS.

As a reminder, the most common symptoms are a recent onset of:

New continuous cough and/or
High temperature
Also a loss of taste and smell has recently bee attributed to the virus.
Additional social distancing and hygiene measures
Additional measures we are adopting include:
Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Washing hands before and after a visit and before leaving home and returning home
Using hand sanitizer gel if soap and water is not available
Covering mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing
Putting used tissues in the bin immediately and washing hands afterwards
To self-isolate if showing symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, for 14 days (reduced to 7 if you live alone).

Employing Social Distancing Measures:

Keeping a distance of at least 2 meters
Traveling alone in our own transport
Asking customers to remain in a different part of the property whilst the visit is being carried out
Taking extra care in certain circumstances, for example, when handling cash. Please be aware that we can accept bank transfers and card payments. During this period please use these payment methods as a preference. If you cannot use these payment methods, cash and cheque will be accepted but additional hygiene methods will be adopted.

Many of these measures are adopted in pest control as part of normal business as usual. For example, distancing measures when using certain pest treatments.

Call PGM & Son Pest Control Hereford if you have a pest control problem, we will act quickly, sympathetically and in a risk controlled environment to help you. The Government guidance can be found here: GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE ON COVID-19