With the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States climbing, The Westin Houston Medical Center is using LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots to sanitize and disinfect guestrooms and common areas.
The technology, provided by San Antonio-based Xenex Disinfection Services, was developed by two epidemiologists. Today, hundreds of healthcare facilities use LightStrike robots as part of their infection-prevention programs. The Westin Houston Medical Center has purchased two of the robots.
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The LightStrike robots use intense germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect rooms by killing bacteria and viruses that may be missed during the manual cleaning process. Hotel staff operate the machines.
"We are taking significant proactive measures, along with following [Centers of Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines to minimize risk while also keeping day-to-day business momentum," Archit Sanghvi, VP of operations for Pearl Hospitality, the hotel's owner and operator, said in a statement. "Wellness is at the core of our business and with the LightStrike technology, we saw a distinct and innovative opportunity to create a well-prepared environment for travelers within our hotel."
In addition to using the disinfecting robots, the 273-room Westin Houston Medical Center implementing enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols including:
- Disinfecting all public areas and guestrooms using hospital-grade cleaner (Ecolab's TB Disinfectant Cleaner).
- Disinfecting all guestroom consumable amenities (bath amenities, coffee and tea) and items such as the remote control and placing them in sealed bags for guests.
- Removing all nonessential items in guestrooms, including magazines, collateral and decorative pillows
- Dedicating a team member to use enhanced sanitization methods on all guest-facing public areas for 24-hour coverage.