In a nutshell… The Water Quality & Health Council has acted as an outside technical advisory group to the American Chemistry Council’s Chlorine Chemistry Division for the past 29 years. For the last nine of these, we have posted a weekly Perspectives article on public health topics ranging from waterborne illness trends, to the chemistry
In a nutshell… Many Halloween celebrations will be modified this year to include precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Depending on your county disease risk level and local restrictions, holiday activities can be selected that are appropriate without raising the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus. How are your fall and winter
In a nutshell… COVID-19, building closures, and stagnant water can form an unfortunate “trifecta” when it comes to Legionella bacteria and other microorganism growth in building water systems. This article highlights recent reports of Legionella detections in school water systems and steps to safely reopen school buildings to protect students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
In a nutshell… This article presents recommendations on using public restrooms safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These include classic infection control measures, such as good hand hygiene, as well as strategies unique to avoiding the coronavirus, including wearing face masks to avoid its transmission through airborne droplets. As we venture out of our
In a nutshell… This is the story of Harley, a working beagle who is trained to identify Clostridioides difficile (aka “C. diff”) bacteria on surfaces. Harley prompts staff in a North Carolina medical center to disinfect contaminated surfaces with chlorine bleach, helping to reduce the facility’s C. diff infection rate. Three cheers for sweet
In a nutshell… To honor deceased Water Quality & Health Council (WQHC) member Jerod M. Loeb, PhD, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) recently made a monetary donation to the organization Angels of America’s Fallen. “Angels” provides free healthy activities, such as swimming lessons, to the children of America’s fallen first-responders and military. This article describes
Survey: Many Americans Expect to Visit Resort Pools, Water Parks During Summer 2020 Many water parks, resorts, and outdoor amusement parks will be allowed to reopen ahead of the Independence Day weekend, but will Americans feel safe enough to take the plunge at one of these venues this summer? To find out, the Water Quality
In a nutshell… A new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey shows some consumers are misusing cleaners and disinfectants in their efforts to avoid COVID-19 (coronavirus). This practice can cause injury and may have led to an increase in calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers in the first quarter of 2020. Consumers
But Urine Makes Backyard Swimming Pools Less Equipped to Kill Viruses, Bacteria, and Parasites Most public pools face extended closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading some swimmers to consider backyard pools for relief from the summer heat. But a new survey finds that backyard pools may hide their own share of unsanitary secrets. The
In a nutshell… This article introduces a new online feature, “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” to provide advice on supplies needed for emergencies that require either sheltering in place or evacuating. The feature links to both Dr. Ralph’s Emergency Preparedness Closet and Nurse Barbara’s Go Bag. Dr. Ralph and Nurse Barbara are caricatures