[imagesource: Jeffery DelViscio]
When it comes to the ‘Rona, there is still so much that we do not understand.
At one stage, for example, wearing a mask was deemed unnecessary by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and our own government, but we have come a long way since then.
The same can’t be said for the US, where Karens and Kens are fighting tooth and nail against common sense and common decency, but that country really is proving to be its own special case study.
With restaurants, cinemas, theatres, and other businesses reopening for business under advanced alert level three, many South Africans are now turning to “deep cleans” to make sure a venue is properly sanitised.
As GroundUp reports, though, those forking out could be taken for a ride:
Professor Francois Venter, an infectious disease doctor at Ezintsha, Wits University, explains: “These so-called ‘deep cleans’ after a work colleague tests positive are absolutely unnecessary. Regular, normal cleaning of surfaces using standard household products, like water and bleach, are sufficient. If you spend thousands of rands on a ‘deep clean’ and someone with Covid-19 sneezes or coughs and touches things in the room a short while later, what was the point of it?”
“Do not get distracted by endless angsting about catching it off a surface; it infects the vast majority of us through the air. So distance, masks, outdoors will keep you safe, not strong chemicals,” he says.
You may recall Professor Francois Venter’s name from his damning assessment of our government’s testing strategy last month.
He’s also not a fan of “disinfection tunnels”, which have sprung up in some parts of the country and have been widely criticised by multiple health organisations, including the WHO.
With regards to the “deep cleans”, GroundUp focused on one company, in particular, NanoWorks (a division of JC Wholesalers), to outline what they say are “greatly exaggerated” claims:
It is selling an unproven “electric fogger” that it claims sanitises environments against Covid-19. But the company has failed to provide any compelling evidence that its product works better than standard cleaning…
The company’s website does not display compelling evidence to support its claims, nor does it provide compelling evidence that its products have “absolutely no side effects or adverse effects on positive bacteria (pro-biotica) or human or animal tissue and health”.
That investigation into NanoWorks goes on, as well as NanoWorks’ response to GroundUp’s reporting, which you can read in full here.
To finish, GroundUp stresses that NanoWorks is far from alone in making these claims:
We selected NanoWorks as an example because its marketing is especially aggressive and because of a video that circulated on social media promoting its product. But there are other companies making similar claims.
Don’t waste your money or put people who visit your institution at risk with untested methods. Just make sure surfaces are cleaned often using standard cleaning products.
So many businesses are struggling to make ends meet, and now isn’t the time to try and find flaws when a degree of understanding would go a long way.
For example, if you choose to visit a restaurant for a sit-in dining experience, bear in mind that this is all new to those owners as well before leaving a nasty review online or social media.
With the “deep cleans”, it does seem advisable to do your research before forking out large sums of money.
There’s nothing wrong with ensuring your office or place of work is thoroughly cleaned, but grand claims about chemicals that are effective against COVID-19 should be scrutinised.
[source:groundup]
