Elegancia Renders Yeoman Service in Qatar's Fight Against Pandemic

    DOHA, QATAR, June 18, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a global race to develop vaccines, while sophisticated testing and tracing initiatives, combined with unprecedented lockdown and home quarantine measures, have become ubiquitous worldwide. Simultaneously, disinfection products and technologies are being utilised in new ways and at an unparalleled scale, helping to curb the spread of the virus, while driving a surge in demand across the cleaning industry.

In Qatar, strict measures have been implemented in accordance to the stringent guidance directed by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and governmental bodies. Reflecting the severity of the pandemic, hospitals, residential towers, retail outlets and commercial premises are doubling their cleaning and disinfecting efforts. Once largely operating in the background, the cleaning and facilities management industry has sprung to the forefront, ensuring that essential services can be kept running.

One of the many companies in Qatar to quickly respond to this surge of demand is Elegancia Facilities Management. The company has invested an additional QR 2 million since January 2020 and is equipped with 23-ton capacity disinfection trucks, electric disinfection motorcycles, human and vehicle disinfection tunnels, cold foggers and other state-of-the-art disinfection equipment, delivering optimum disinfection performance in large areas and difficult to access locations.

Elegancia has agreed to a series of partnerships to support business and communities during this challenging time. For example, the company is working with long-time client Mall of Qatar (MOQ), the country's premiere shopping destination, providing thermal cameras and disinfection campaigns.

Starting this week, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has announced gradual lifting of restrictions on malls and shopping centres, allowing 30 percent of operations and reduced business days. Malls and shopping centres must adhere to the precautionary measures by the MoPh including, but not limited to, checking and allowing shoppers only with green health condition status in Ehteraz app.

From March to the end of May, the Elegancia team has successfully helped to keep more than 650,000 shoppers safe. Well accustomed to working at scale, Elegancia is also currently servicing 12 labour camps across Qatar as vital work continues ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The experienced Elegancia teams routinely disinfect all accommodation areas and take daily temperature checks for 50,000 workers.

"Our team is well-equipped, well trained, and we are ready to help wherever we can; this is a symbolic moment for us. We have partnered with international and local specialists including Ecolab, Betco and Diversey to support disinfection services across the country. Our work is directly protecting people and providing safe environment to work, shop and live. We're proud to be preserving jobs in the community which are essential for Qatar's wellbeing and business continuity" says Mr. Ramez Al-Khayyat, Vice Chairman and Group CEO of UCC Holding, the mother company of Elegancia.

While epidemiologists and clinicians learn more about the virus every day, it is clear that the virus is transmitted through an infected person's respiratory droplets and from touching surfaces that are contaminated with the virus. The MoPH has listed recommended products to use to guard against the Covid-19 virus and guidelines to ensure that professional cleaners have access to personal protective equipment (PPE), including disinfectants, gloves, masks, hand sanitizers, and other materials needed to combat the virus.

While personal hygiene measures, like regular handwashing, represent the best line of defence, cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces regularly is an important precaution to lower the spread of infection.

As the pandemic evolves, people are becoming more vigilant in observing proper measures of sanitizing, storing various disinfectants as regular household goods. Reflecting a global trend, there has been a 100% increase in online searches for numerous disinfectant products and services in Qatar as people look to protect themselves and their families from infection. The soaring demand for disinfecting products and cleaning services highlights the changing dynamics of how people are living in these challenging times. What is clear is that the workers, shoppers, and other communities in Qatar are acting responsibly, united by their determination to keep the virus at bay.

Our group of companies have agreed on our priorities, and we are set for lofty and challenging goals this year; working towards streamlining our corporate functions, core businesses, and work cohesively to achieve UCC Holding's purpose of "Building for Generations".

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