16 May 2020

Sanitisers should contain at least 60 per cent alcohol to exterminate the coronavirus, says chief public health officer for Selebi Phikwe Town Council, Mr Moreki Nthibo.

He said businesses should ensure that the sanitisers they purchased contained the correct amount of alcohol, adding that anything less was likely to be ineffective against the virus.

He said during inspection of businesses, public health inspectors ensured that sanitisers used were of the right quality.

Mr Nthibo said Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) should certify locally procured sanitisers while South African authorities should certify those from the neighbouring country.

 He further stated that disinfectants used in businesses should also be of a certain standard in order to destroy coronavirus and other germs.

He noted that public health regulations called for the disinfection of businesses two to three times a day.

Mr Nthibo said inspectors would require businesses to show them the sanitisers they used to check whether they met the set standard.

He urged businesses to place hand-washing basins outside their premises where customers could wash their hands.

The council official said washing hands with soap was enough to kill coronavirus and other germs.

He urged businesses to uphold high hygiene standards, adding that it would help prevent a wide range of diseases. ENDS