OTS - Fielmann defines Hygiene Standards for Optical and Hearing Aid Retail
2020. April 09. 13:05
Hamburg, 9 April, 2020 (APA/OTS) - Scientific study by Prof. Dr.
Martin Exner shows how to safeguard health in retail environment
As a responsible family business, Fielmann acted early and
decidedly, as the coronavirus spread across Europe. Already in
February 2020, we implemented a series of hygiene and infection
prevention measures in order to protect the health of our customers
and employees. Since 20 March 2020, we have discontinued our
regular business and restricted our store operations to an
emergency service. This way, we actively contribute to a slowdown
of the coronavirus pandemic.
By maintaining an emergency service in our optical stores and
our hearing aid studios, we continue to provide basic health care
under a strict hygiene regime. This way, Fielmann supports
essential professions in their life-saving work. Additionally, our
emergency service caters to those people who are dependent on
eyecare and hearing aid services in their daily lives. Whereas a
few countries have closed down optical and hearing aid retail
completely, Fielmann currently operates the emergency service in
more than 90 percent of its stores across Europe.
Fielmann seeks to maintain this essential emergency service in
all markets contingent on the regulatory framework, yet we must
also safeguard the health of our customers and employees. With
these goals in mind, Fielmann commissioned a scientific
investigation by one of Germany's foremost experts on hygiene and
infection prevention: Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Martin Exner
(Director of the Institute of Hygiene and Public Health as well as
Managing Director of Infectiology and Infection Protection at the
University Hospital Bonn).Prof. Dr. Exner has identified the
biggest risks in optical and hearing aid retail as well as
appropriate measures to counter them. The study is now available,
its key results have been summarised in an infographic.
Prof. Dr. Exner: "When it comes to SARS-CoV-19, the biggest
risk is an infection via droplets that reach you while you stand
close to someone (less than 1,5m) speaking, coughing or sneezing.
The presented hygiene standards list comprehensive measures to
counter the infection risks such as employee training, wearing
appropriate protective gear and regular disinfection with
appropriate santisers. In summary, it can be said that if optical
and hearing aid professionals were to rigorously implement these
standards, then a safe emergency service can be carried out."
Marc Fielmann, CEO of the Fielmann Group: "Based on Prof. Dr.
Exner's outstanding work, Fielmann has implemented various measures
to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in its stores. For
example, we are training all employees to ensure a strict
compliance with our hygiene measures. We also equip our healthcare
professionals with protective gear for eyes, noses, mouths and
hands. And of course, we use appropriate sanitisers to disinfect
products, equipment and store fixtures. This way, we are confident
that we can protect the health of both our customers and our
employees while maintaining a safe emergency service for all those
people that depend on their glasses and hearing aids under these
difficult circumstances."
Together with Prof. Dr. Exner, the University Hospital Bonn and
other scientific organisations, such as the German Association of
Hospital Hygiene, Fielmann will continue to further develop its
standards. Marc Fielmann: "As a responsible family business, we
will share our standards as well as our practical experience with
other businesses. Thus, we hope to contribute to proven measures
countering the coronavirus pandemic while businesses maintain
operations to ensure a basic supply of critical goods."
In the next week, the scientific task force will partner with
the German Retail Federation (HDE) to develop potential guidelines
for all German retail. Fielmann will roll out its hygiene standards
across Europe and adjust it to national and regional regulation
where necessary.
For further information, please contact:
Tobias Plöger, Head of Store Communications, Tel.: +49 (0) 40
270 76 6670
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