WASHINGTON — Inside many D.C. government buildings is a group working to wipe out any signs of the coronavirus.
Allstate Floors is one of the companies contracted by the D.C. Department of General Services. They're disinfecting many areas and objects where the virus may still be lingering, from office keys to keyboards.
"It's a little scary. Our teams have literally been working around the clock,” said the owner of Allstate Floors, Jose Ortiz.
Ortiz said they’ve never been this busy. His crews are heading to many sites with less than an hour’s notice – like D.C. police and first stations.
Dozens of Metropolitan Police Department and DC Fire and EMS workers have tested positive for COVID-19, and one Northwest Washington firehouse had to be evacuated and scrubbed down over the weekend.
Ortiz said they’re cleaning some buildings twice a day.
While there's a rush to get the buildings disinfected so first responders can get back to work, Ortiz said he must look out for the health of his workers, too. To do that, they're checked for symptoms before every job.
He said at least two employees have been sent home, but so far they haven't tested positive for coronavirus.
"They go back home and they're definitely going to have to be contained and they can't be part of the crew anymore,” Ortiz said.
He's also focused on the health of his business. There's a demand for his services, but supplies are hard to come by.
"It's a big challenge, because everyone in the world needs the supplies,” Ortiz said.
Recently, he had to drive to Pennsylvania to get some of the supplies needed.
If you leave the house frequently for work or simply to grocery shop or walk the dog, Ortiz recommends following CDC guidelines to clean and disinfect your home daily.