5000 plastic bottle hand wash units were rolled out recently across Cape Town’s informal settlements by the National Business Initiative (NBI) and Business for South Africa (B4SA) COVID-19 Water Working Group, in partnership with local NGOs and the City of Cape Town. COVID-19 has brought into sharp focus the importance of hand washing for improved hygiene, public health and … [Read more...]
Providing clean, safe water to protect human health
The provision of safe water, sanitation and hygienic conditions is essential for protecting human health during all infectious disease outbreaks including COVID-19. SANEDI (South African National Energy and Development Institute) is partnering with the Department of Defence (DoD) for a Water Treatment Works project at the SANDF Air Force Base in Hoedspruit in the Maruleng … [Read more...]
The difference between sanitizing and disinfecting
Do you know the difference between sanitizing and disinfecting? Sanitising refers to cleaning one’s hands in order to reduce the number of potential pathogens that could be transmitted to others. Disinfecting refers to killing pathogens on surfaces, which may require chemicals harmful to humans, animals and the environment. Do you know what is in the hand sanitizers … [Read more...]
Hand sanitisers: clearing up the confusion
It’s important to understand the difference between sanitising and disinfecting. Sanitising refers to cleaning one’s hands in order to reduce the number of potential pathogens that could be transmitted to others. Disinfecting refers to killing pathogens on surfaces, which may require chemicals harmful to humans, animals and the environment. Many manufacturers have … [Read more...]
Covid-19: Cloth masks for public use
There has been much debate globally about whether it is recommended to make use of a facemask during the Covid-19 pandemic. A policy guideline developed by the Dept of Health for sectors other than Health indicates that, as the epidemic unfolds, the wider use of masks are indicated even for people who are not ill, especially if they move around in the public. The Western … [Read more...]
Getting into a prepping state of mind
At last the Cape Town society has moved out of the first stage of grief – denial. This condition which is the nemesis for environmentalists over the years. How to break through the naïve hope that all will be fine, no matter how we live? How to inspire the courage to face the science? Inevitably Mother Earth is now pitching in to teach first hand. We have to accept that … [Read more...]
Contaminated water ruled out for diarrhea in Durban
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Sibongiseni Dlomo says contaminated water and infant formula are not the cause of the diarrhea outbreak that resulted in the death of 30 infants at three Durban hospitals. The deaths occurred between May and June and more than 1700 children have since been seen by various medical facilities. About 22 of the deaths were reported at Prince Mshiyeni … [Read more...]
Good news for teenagers
We’re so lucky to have a whole plethora of natural cosmetics to choose from nowadays, so gone are the days when you simply had to take what you can get. I have only ever used natural products, as my skin has a built-in chemical detector and breaks out in red itchy bumps from any regular cosmetics. Hence I frequented health shops since my teen years. We may also have good … [Read more...]