We are past the 200-day mark since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lockdown restrictions to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus in South Africa. We are now on Level-1 of lockdown which allows business activity to continue but under strict health and safety conditions. South Africa now finds itself in the top ten countries in the world with the most Covid-19 infections with over 613 000 positive cases and just over 13 300 fatalities as of 26 August 2020 according to https://www.sacoronavirus.co.za/.
It is still incumbent on all of us as a nation, whether at home, at work or at school to be more vigilant and adhere to all the recommended health and safety precautions.
As a school, our students, teachers and teammates who have returned back to campus find themselves on their desks for 5 to 7 seven hours in a day doing their in-class or office work. Which then turns the desk into a breeding ground for germs and harmful bacteria that can make a person sick. While we cannot avoid using our desks in class or office to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria, we do however exercise basic hygiene habits that are effective in both killing the germs and bacteria, and also protecting our staff and students from illnesses.
Here are four habits that you can adopt to keep your desk free of germs and illness-causing bacteria in the classroom or office:
Wear your mask:
While it may be uncomfortable to keep your mask on throughout the day, it is a habit which is necessary and effective in keeping you safe from harmful germs and illness-causing bacteria. Wearing your mask ensures that you do not transfer germs and bacteria onto the desk when you speak, cough or sneeze which may breed further and make you sick.
Sanitize your desk:
Adopt a habit of sanitizing your desk, laptop and stationery with an alcohol-based sanitizer daily at least 3 times a day using a wet wipe or cloth to properly clean without damaging your equipment. This habit will ensure that you are able to remove and kill any breeding germs and bacteria that may surface as you go about your day working and interacting with your peers and colleagues.
Wash your hands:
Regularly washing your hands with soap and water every 3 hours or before meals can help eliminate the risk of contracting or spreading germs and illness-causing bacteria which you may come into contact with as you use your desk, laptop and stationery, and also from connecting with your peers and colleagues.
Maintain a safe distance:
While it is common in a classroom or office set-up to have your peers or colleagues sit next to you or reach over to your desk for assistance or a quick chat. Don’t share your stationery and always ensure that everyone who sits next to you or reaches over to your desk for any reason maintains a safe social distance to ensure no one spreads any bacteria or germs that may continue to breed on your desk and cause illnesses.
At Nova Pioneer we are committed to operating a safe working and learning environment, and therefore make it our mission to ensure that all health and safety protocols and hygiene measures are implemented by all staff, teachers and students at all times to prevent the spread of germs and harmful bacteria that may cause illnesses.
