10 Tips for Using Social Distancing Dividers In Public Places

With COVID-19 rates continuing to rise across the country, knowing how to use social distancing partitions and finding ways to slow the spread of infection is a vital part of keeping our businesses open throughout the pandemic. Social distancing is one of the most important ways to slow the spread in public places, and portable room dividers can help.

From office buildings, schools, and daycares to retail stores, restaurants, and even hospitals, room dividers offer an easy way to create separation and distance in any space. Here are 10 tips for using social distancing dividers with Versare’s lightweight, portable room dividers.

Table of Contents

• In the Office
• In Schools or Daycares
• In Retail Stores, Restaurants, and Other Settings

As open office layouts have increased in popularity over the years, many offices struggle to create separation in their large, open spaces. Here are three ways room dividers and desktop partitions can help:

1. Set up pop-up meeting rooms. Separate large spaces into smaller compartments for additional meeting rooms or waiting areas. This could be handy for small group meetings or keeping waiting customers separated and safe. Our pre-configured cubicle kits would be the perfect fit for this solution.
2. Create cubicles or add dividers to existing workspaces to form a physical barrier that helps reduce the spread of infectious respiratory droplets from a sneeze or cough. Our cubicle kits or our room dividers could be used to add cubicles to your space.
3. Desktop separation for safety, plus the bonus of sound absorption! If you don’t have room for a full cubicle setup, try using desktop partitions to create separation between workspaces.

Look at our recent blog on the topic for more ways to create a socially distanced office space.

Creating social distance in schools and daycares poses an even greater challenge than in office spaces. But maintaining the safety of students, teachers, and staff is vital if schools remain open to in-person instruction. Here are a few ways to help create distance in schools:

1. Create separation in the cafeteria, library, or other large areas using room dividers. Dividing these large spaces into smaller areas can help separate students to class groups. Our Room Divider 360® is an ideal fit for this use.
2. Divide larger classrooms into multiple work areas or provide for smaller class sizes by creating additional classrooms in larger spaces like gyms, cafeterias, or auditoriums. Try our Room Divider 360®or DivideWrite Mobile Whiteboard Partition.
3. Direct traffic flow and create separation in large foyers/hallways. Set up portable room dividers during high-traffic times to help keep crowd sizes down. Our Quick-Wall Folding Portable Partitions are the ideal solution, as they are easy to set up and take down for temporary use.
4. Create separation in the office to protect school staff, using any of our partitions to separate workstations and adding clear countertop screens to reception areas.

To see how one school is using Versare room dividers to create social distancing, read this recent case study on our blog!

In addition to offices and schools, room dividers can be used in many other places, from retail stores and restaurants to hospitals and pharmacies. Here are a few ideas for those spaces:

1. Divide restaurant tables or booths. Setting up clear dividers between tables or restaurant booths can keep diners from getting too close and help contain respiratory droplets. Try our MediPanel Floor Screen Panels or our MediPanel Portable Dividers for this use.
2. Set up sneeze guards at registers in retail stores,pharmacies or restaurant host stands, doctor’s office registration desks, auto dealer reception desks, and so on. Our ClearView Countertop Screen or ClearView Countertop Shieldis perfect for this use.
3. Add hospital overflow rooms. Versare’s dividers can be used for everything from adding exam rooms to setting up a temporary hospital. Early in the pandemic, we sent portable hospital setups to Seattle, WA, and Sacramento, CA. While we hope these temporary hospital setups won’t be needed again, we will be ready if they are. In the meantime, our array of health walls and privacy screens can create separation in hospitals and clinics.

Interested in hearing more about how Versare stepped in to help create temporary hospitals last spring? Read our blog here.

Anywhere groups gather, it is important to maintain social distance to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Versare’s full line of room dividers, cubicles, and desktop or countertop screens can aid in creating socially distanced spaces wherever you need them. Shop our online store or give us a call at 855-893-7307. We look forward to serving you!