(The Daily Dish) A good, deep cleaning of your carpets and flooring not only makes your space sparkle and look fresh but can help extend the lifespan of your flooring. Jake Stone with Zerorez can vouch for that!

Zerorez cleans differently, their goal is to extend the life of your carpet. They don’t want it to get dirty faster. They do not use soaps, detergents and they want it to dry quickly and help your carpet last longer. Carpet and flooring are extremely expensive.

Jake shows our viewers how much dirt comes out of carpets when they’ve cleaned them and also how fibers in your carpet are being crushed down each time anyone walks on them, drags furniture across them, or has pets and kids on them.

When the carpet crunches down, everything that’s inside is going to scratch and grind on those fibers. Ultimately, when you think about when you first put the carpet in your home and it had that shiny look to it, and then when you see those high trafficked areas, it gets dull, and that traveled on look.

Jake gives a a few tips to help:

• Vacuum Often. They say that you should vacuum as many times a week as you have adults in your home, and that includes pets. Your pet should be considered another person. If you have 3 dogs add 3 people. This is what carpet manufacturers recommend.
• Have your carpets professionally cleaned one or two times a year. That helps to get all of the dirt that a vacuum doesn’t get out of your carpet and helps to keep them looking vibrant.
• Finally, reapplying the protectant to the carpet after the carpet cleaning has been done.

The other thing that’s great about Zerorez is that they’re not using the soaps and the detergents “The other guys” use. They’re using their Zerorez Powered Water that allows the carpet to stay cleaner longer! Not only that, but it’s also safe for pets and kids.

Mention this ad when you schedule an appointment and only pay $33 a room PLUS you’ll get your 4th room FREE!

For more information visit Zerorez on their Website, Facebook, or Twitter or you can call to schedule an appointment at (801) 288-9376.

*Sponsored Content.

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Originally Appeared Here

LEBANON — The surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations is leading to a troubling secondary trend: a surge in calls to first responders.

Emergency medical services are experiencing a spike in 911 calls – and a demand on resources and equipment – as a result of the spread of COVID-19 variants, taxing personnel and resources in the final weeks of what has been already a stressful year for many responders, Upper Valley EMS services report.

“We’re on track to have one of our busiest years in the last 20,” said Lebanon Fire Chief Chris Christopoulos.

EMS calls to the Lebanon Fire Department in 2021 are running 5% higher than in 2020 – which dipped slightly from 2019 because of the spring and summer economic shutdown that kept people at home – and are on track to hit or exceed 2,700 for the year, according to Christopoulos.

Calls for EMS are coming in at the rate of 10 to 12 per day of which “at least eight to 10 are COVID,” the Lebanon chief estimated. The increase has been especially noticeable in the past month as the delta variant spread and now emergency responders are bracing for another wave due to the omicron variant.

“I don’t see this trending downward anytime soon,” Christopoulos said.

Across the river in Hartford, the fire department is also experiencing a higher volume in people calling 911.

Deputy Chief Jason Czora didn’t have a breakdown between EMS calls and fire calls but said that overall volume this year is up 200 calls, or 13%, from 2020.

“We hit last year’s total number on Dec. 1,” he said.

Although Hartford EMS has had to respond to only 13 calls where the call involved a confirmed case of COVID-19, “five of those have been since Nov. 1,” Czora said.

Czora attributes the double-digit rise in 911 calls in Hartford to the influx of people relocating to the Upper Valley to reduce the risk of exposure during the pandemic.

But every ambulance ride involving a confirmed or even suspected COVID-19 infected individual is a drag on EMS resources, he explained.

That’s because each time an ambulance transporting a COVID-19 patient returns to the station department, staff must disinfect it, a process that takes up to an hour and during which the vehicle is out of service and not available to respond to another call.

The department has three ambulances but if the second is already dispatched on a call that leaves little room for any additional glitches, such as recently happened.

“Last week we had to transport a COVID-19 positive person and our third ambulance was broken down,” Czora related, as the part needed was not available because of “supply chain issues.”

“So we had to rely on Lebanon to handle the call,” he said.

Lebanon’s Christopoulos said turn-around times during the decontamination procedure is not the only factor holding back response times. So is the COVID-19 caseload in the emergency room, which causes down-the-line backups.

Typically a turn-around time between arrival and departure at the ER is five to 10 minutes. But with all the beds filled in emergency rooms, the patient being transported must remain in the ambulance until a bed in the ER opens up, Christopoulos said.

“We are seeing bumps up to 20 minutes and even 30 minutes until a bed opens up in the ER. The ambulance is out of service until we can move the patient appropriately to the ER. It has a ripple effect. More times lately we are running three ambulances,” he said.

“We’re staffing our third ambulance a lot more than we ever have in the past,” the police chief said.

Then there is the problem of simple physics: an ambulance cannot be in two different places at the same time.

Canaan Fire Chief Bill Bellion, who is also an EMT, said that he expects ambulance calls to increase about 100 this year to 500, of which he estimates between 25 to 30% of the increase is attributable to COVID-19 patients.

The department can handle that, he said, but timing can challenge resources and responders.

“We’ll be out on a fire call when a second (EMS) call will come in. That’s happened about 10 times this year,” Bellion said. “And that’s what really hurts us.”

Canaan Ambulance, which has one full-time EMT employee but otherwise relies upon 12 regular members to respond to calls, will be adding a second full-time EMT in January.

“Even so we will still be relying upon our on-call people to cover 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.,” said Bellion, noting that volunteers are paid a $6 per hour stipend because “we have to give them something in recognition of the time and commitments they are making.”

At Golden Cross Ambulance in Claremont, owner Dale Girard said they are seeing an increase of nearly 4 calls per day for the 13 communities they serve in Sullivan County. Since October, call volume has surged 33%, about half in the COVID-19 hot spot of Claremont alone.

The required disinfecting protocols is also taking a toll on ambulance equipment. Girard said he’s noticed that the chlorine-like wash they spray the vehicle interiors with is having a corrosive effect on materials.

“We just noticed it recently,” he said. “It’s eating plastic.”

Not all Upper Valley towns are experiencing a higher volume of ambulance calls related to COVID-19, however. Hanover Fire Chief Martin McMillan said his department’s annual tally of about 911 calls for both fire and ambulance is down this year, which he thinks is directly related to the pandemic-related absence of many Dartmouth students for much of the year.

“A lot of our business is driven by population and when your single biggest population is college kids who have left we have not seen a really big push in COVID-19,” he said.

McMillan pointed out that the delta variant also began to “break loose” in the Upper Valley after Dartmouth students left for their extended winter break at Thanksgiving.

“We’ve been very fortunate in that regard,” he said, adding that he realizes that could be fleeting and may well change once students return to campus next month. “I’m holding my breath.”

Contact John Lippman at [email protected].

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Originally Appeared Here

A Congolese refugee prepares to return home to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Mantapala settlement, Zambia.  © UNHCR/Bruce Mulenga

Nearly 5,000 refugees who fled violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) four years ago are opting to head home voluntarily from Zambia in coming months, with the first 100 people setting out today (21 December).

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and Zambia’s authorities began the voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees from Mantapala settlement, in Luapula province, to Pweto in Haut-Katanga province in DRC, as security has improved sufficiently to allow for their return in safety and dignity.

Some 4,774 refugees have expressed their intention to return voluntarily through intention surveys carried out by UNHCR in October. The voluntary repatriation which will continue into 2022 is part of the continuation of the tripartite agreement signed in 2006 by UNHCR and the Governments of Zambia and the DRC.

As security has improved in some areas of Haut-Katanga, an estimated 20,000 refugees have spontaneously left Zambia since 2018 to return to their areas of origin – mainly to Pweto territory. UNHCR is working with authorities in DRC and involving development partners like CARITAS, to advance reintegration projects including education, health and agriculture, and to ensure conditions for safe and dignified returns.

Some 18,000 Congolese refugees live by farming at Mantapala settlement alongside 5,000 Zambians, across 11 integrated villages. The settlement was established in early 2018 to accommodate refugees who were displaced because of inter-ethnic clashes as well as fighting between Congolese security forces and militia groups in parts of the south eastern DRC in 2017.

The governments of Zambia and the DRC, UNHCR and its partners including UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are working closely to support the returning refugees. That support includes the provision of Voluntary Repatriation documents, expedited immigration clearance, health screening and school certificates to allow children to resume their education in the DRC.

UNHCR and WFP have provided two buses and two trucks to transport refugees and their belongings, as well as food for the journey. In addition, they will receive a cash grant to help them as they pick up their lives again in the DRC.

UNICEF has improved water and sanitation facilities at the reception centre in Chiengi district, where returning refugees will sleep over to process immigration documents before embarking on the final leg of their journey home.

The Government of Zambia has prepared a COVID-19 rapid test for the returning refugees at the Mantapala Rural Health Centre, before they commence the journey. UNHCR will disinfect the buses, provide face masks, hand sanitisers and, together with the authorities, ensure that COVID-19 prevention measures are observed, including loading of buses to half the capacity.

Zambia hosts some 103,028 refugees, asylum seekers, and former refugees. These include 63,681 from the DRC.

For more information on this topic, please contact:

• In Zambia, Bruce Mulenga, [email protected], +260 97 748 0191
• In Kinshasa, Johannes Van Gemund, [email protected], +243 817 009 484
• In Kinshasa, Joel Smith, [email protected], +243 825 257 774
• In Pretoria, Pumla Rulashe, [email protected], +27 82 377 5665
• In Geneva, Babar Baloch, [email protected], +41 79 513 9549

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Originally Appeared Here

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it lots of changes.

One of the things that has been affected is gatherings. If you are planning to host your family or friends this holiday season, then it is important that you thoroughly prepare.

Disinfect your house

One of the best things you can do is to make sure your home is thoroughly cleaned and you have cleaning and disinfecting products available.

This will help reduce the possibility of people becoming infected if they touch surfaces that might be contaminated and then touch their nose, mouth, or eyes, which could lead to them contracting the virus.

Also, make sure that you check the number of guests you invite versus the space they will be mingling in.

Your house must have room enough to allow guests to spread out. Remember the 2m safe distance rule which is recommended by health officials to help minimise the spread of the virus.

If you don’t have enough room, it would be a great idea to take your event outside.

LISTEN: Kim Kardashian reveals her Christmas playlist

Lay the ground rules

Let your guests know beforehand that if they have any of the common symptoms of COVID-19, they should rather stay at home.

Also communicate that you will be taking temperatures and checking for fever and anyone who has symptoms will have to go home.

Offer each guest an individual plate

Although allowing guests to serve themselves might seem like a good idea, it might be safer to have one person doing the dishing and setting aside wrapped individual plates.

This will prevent having different people touching serving utensils and bowls.

READ: The Worst Christmas gifts

Image courtesy of iStock/ @SeventyFour

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Originally Appeared Here

Cleaning tips: You can dust or vacuum the skirting boards. Consider a long feather duster or a vacuum attachment so you don’t have to bend over. Or, clean the surface with warm water and soap. And, if your skirting boards have hard scuff marks, then a Magic Eraser is the perfect tool.

Air vents

Did you know that the HVAC vents in your home could be causing asthma or allergy symptoms? After all, this is where all the dirt, hair, and bug fragments tend to get too comfortable. These easily get circulated into the indoor air, which you breathe day in and day out. Gross!

Cleaning tips: The good news is that air duct cleaning doesn’t have to be one of those heavy-duty tasks you need a professional for. A standard household vacuum can suck up the dust and dirt from your air registers; you just need to make sure you have a long hose to reach into the ducts. Another way is to use a toilet brush, but if you don’t have one, a stiff-bristle paintbrush will do the trick. Remember to wear gloves and a mask while cleaning.

Showerhead

Despite how often most of us shower, it’s not often that anyone takes a closer look at the shower head. If you looked up more often, you’d probably notice that many of the holes aren’t actually shooting out water. That’s because over time, the holes get clogged with mold, mineral deposits, and soap scum. So, the question is, why would you deny yourself a good, clean shower?

Cleaning tips: A shower foam cleaner, which specifically fights soap scum, lime scale, and mold is a good option. If you can unscrew the head, soak it in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and hot water. If you can’t remove it, fill a plastic bag with vinegar and wrap it around the showerhead. Leave it on for a few hours and open the water.

The drain stopper 

Another hot spot for bacteria and mold is a clogged drain because it becomes a cesspool of germs. If the drain starts running slow, you don’t need to go out and buy a new stopper immediately. You will, however, have to roll up your sleeves and take care of the issue.

Cleaning tips: Pull out the gunk by hand and clean it under warm or hot water with soap. Soak the stopper in a vinegar solution or detergent for a few minutes before cleaning with a rag.

Around the toilet bowl

If you want to find out how dirty the area around the toilet bowl is, go get a blacklight flashlight. Eww much? It’s no surprise that this area is one of the filthiest in the home.

Cleaning tips: Combine one cup of table salt, one cup of baking soda, and one cup of oxygen bleach—these will help disinfect, and loosen up the build up. Allow the solution to rest for an hour and wipe with a damp cloth. One cup of baking soda and one cup of distilled white vinegar can do the job as well.

Reusable grocery bags

Yes, those bags that are helping you live a greener life can be carriers of germs too. This is because you use them to carry poultry, vegetables, fruits, cartons, and food packets. Think of all the bacteria lurking in there, just waiting to cross-contaminate. Also, reusable grocery bags are high-touch items, frequently touched by hands and other objects. These therefore become the most dangerous items that can easily transfer infections.

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Originally Appeared Here

I am busy in the garden at the moment taking lots of cuttings. I already have dozens which have rooted and ready to pot on.

At different stages of the year we can all take cuttings from plants that we own. In this way we can easily increase our stock at practically no cost.

Start with cuttings from your plants or ask friends for their cuttings. Plant cuttings are grouped into four basic categories: softwood, greenwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood and are taken at different times of year. The plants are sectioned into the four categories, depending on which time of year you are taking them.

Softwood Cuttings

Softwood cuttings come from fresh, new growth, usually in spring or early summer. Plants such as dogwoods root well from these types of cuttings.

Greenwood Cuttings

Greenwood—also called herbaceous—cuttings are from plants that have non-woody stems. All annual plants, for example, are herbaceous because they are non-woody plants.

Semi Ripe/Semi-Hardwood Cuttings

Semi-ripe cuttings are tougher and more mature. These are the types of cuttings I am taking at the moment. They’re usually taken from midsummer to autumn. Plants such as camellia and honeysuckle often root well from semi-ripe cuttings.

Hardwood Cuttings and Other Plants

Hardwood cuttings include deciduous shrubs, climbers (like vines), fruits (such as gooseberries), and trees.

Tips and Hints

The plant that gives you the cuttings is called the mother plant. Look for a healthy house or garden plant. Plants with non-woody stems are easiest to propagate. The mother plant should be large enough that removing one or more cuttings will not harm or kill it.

Select green, non-woody stems for taking tip cuttings. Newer growth is easier to root than woody stems. Locate a stem that has a node, this is simply the point where the leaves join the stem. The node looks like a joint on the stem and it is the area that will generate new roots. Use a sharp scissors or a razor blade that has been sterilised in alcohol to make a clean cut, just below a node. The cutting doesn’t need to be very long, a single node with a couple of leaves will be fine.

Preparing Cuttings

After cutting off a piece of the stem, place the cutting on a flat, hard surface and make a clean slice through the middle of the node. Plant stems send out their new roots from the stem nodes. Making the cutting at the node increases your chance of successfully rooting the cutting. I would always use some rooting powder- this also increases your chances.

Remove all but one or two leaves. The cutting needs some leaf growth to continue photosynthesis since it can’t take in any food from roots it doesn’t yet have. But too many leaves will sap energy from its efforts to create new roots. If the leaves are very large in proportion to the stem, cut them in half.

I then place the cutting into a pot containing some compost and some grit or sharp sand. This will mean the compost is free draining and the cuttings are less likely to rot. Cover the pot with a clean plastic bag – in effect creating a mini-greenhouse. Keep an eye on the cuttings and water occasionally until you see roots emerge from the bottom of the pot.

Contact James by email – [email protected]

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Originally Appeared Here

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have become more aware of the air that they breathe and how to best protect themselves from harmful pathogens in the air. This is not the first pandemic; nor will it be the last. The world has had eight pandemics since the year 1900, including the Spanish flu, which killed upwards of 50 million people between 1918 and 1920. Protecting senior citizens, the disabled and health care workers from airborne and other infections must be a multifaceted approach.

How Pathogens Spread

Pathogens—or germs—are anything that produce a disease. This includes viruses, disease-causing bacteria and mold. Pathogens are transmitted in several different ways, including through the air, via direct contact, and from surfaces, skin or inanimate objects or substances that can transmit infectious organisms from one individual to another. There are also zoonotic pathogens, which are spread from animals to human and humans to animals.

Humans express droplets that vary in size according to where they originate within the body. Different sized droplets emanate from the lungs, esophagus, nasal passages or mouth. Some of these droplets are large and drop readily to the surfaces and others become aerosolized and can spread as far as 30 feet. These droplets can carry pathogens that can potentially infect others.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most disease-causing pathogens are spread by airborne transmission. The greater the concentration of people in a room, the increased potential for a higher viral load and the spread of
these pathogens.

3 Widely Employed Strategies for Disinfection

The most common disinfection strategies are implemented on a surface level and/or in the air within a building environment.

Surface-level disinfection usually involves cleaning and sanitizing with chemical sprays. Although these are helpful, they are only one part of the equation. In addition, some chemicals may affect individuals who are susceptible to these cleaning solutions. More importantly, these products disinfect only at the surface level and last for a short period of time; they have no impact on airborne pathogens. If someone with COVID-19, flu, MRSA or whooping cough is in the area, they can transmit those pathogens—sometimes without showing symptoms.

Airborne disinfection strategies have several alternatives that include air purification; increased ventilation; controls for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filters and upper air germicidal irradiation (UAGI). Let’s look at three options in depth.

1. Air Purification

Bipolar ionization (sometimes called needlepoint bipolar ionization) is a technology that can be used in HVAC systems or portable air cleaners to generate positively and negatively charged ions. These ions attach to pathogens, causing them to fall to surfaces, partially eliminating them from being airborne. However, these pathogens can still be acquired by individuals when they touch affected surfaces. There are also potential side effects such as the production of ozone, which can create negative respiratory issues. In addition, there is not sufficient research to fully understand the interaction of charged ions with chemicals used on the surfaces. It is important when selecting a disinfection strategy from a manufacturer to ask for both independent lab and field studies. The favorable results achieved in the labs may not translate to actual results in a live study in the field.

2. HEPA Filters & UV Lighting for HVAC

HEPA filters remove pathogens from the air, whereas ultraviolet (UV) lighting kills the pathogens. These are complimentary strategies, along with increased ventilation (air exchange) to eliminate any pathogens from the building. It is important to understand that that there are dead zones within certain rooms where there is little to no circulation and increased air flow may be difficult and costly for an extended.

UV has been used in health care settings for over a century and is a well documented and recommended infection control solution.

3. UVGI Solutions

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) equipment disrupts pathogens’ DNA. UVGI should be disbursed at least eight feet above the floor and air exchange should be allowed for at the same time. A high air exchange rate is similar to introducing clean air into the room. A process called “convection” causes warmer air to naturally rise to the upper portion of the room.

UV-C light is deployed in the upper air of the room to inactivate any pathogens caught in the convection currents. Louvers are used to keep the UV-C rays in the upper portion of the room away from the room occupants. This system allows up to 18 air changes per hour and has an efficacy rate of 99.9%.

Note that upper-air UVGI solutions can help reduce both the airborne pathogen load and, in combination with normal surface cleaning procedures, helps further reduce the surface pathogens.

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Originally Appeared Here

Phones, tablets, laptops and other gadgets were already being much used and abused, but the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic made them even more important and they are now in your hands almost 24/7! Which also means you more prone to catch the coronavirus from the surface of these devices. Phones, tablets, and computers are all high-touch surfaces that can acquire dirt, grime, germs, and viruses, leaving you sick. Though, the risk of contamination of coronavirus through the surface is very much there and in any case it is better be safe than sorry. Therefore, it is critically important for you to know how to disinfect your phone screen, laptops on a regular basis.

The steps for the precautions to disinfect your phone, laptop, computer and more, are as simple as wiping them down with a soft cloth or with a little alcohol-based sanitiser. While disinfecting your devices, keep a check on the following points:

Did you go out in public? Then disinfect your device no

You must always disinfect your device after using it in public. Remember, WHO asked all of us to disinfect our clothes, objects and even vegetables that we used to bring home in the early days of the pandemic? Well, that is still needed.

When you use your phone or laptop in public after touching other surfaces, then the risk of getting viruses increases. Hence, always disinfect your phone when you get back to your home. Public washrooms especially are prone to be heavily contaminated areas and therefore you must never use your phone there to prevent contamination.

First, rub away dirt, fingerprints

Remember to clean your device as you clean your spectacles! You must remove all visible grease, dirt, and debris before disinfecting your phone, tablet or laptop. Especially, while cleaning your laptop screens. Use dry and soft microfiber to wipe all the surfaces of your devices. Don’t even use a tissue or paper towels, as these can scratch the surface of your device.

Clean all sides of your device

You should use alcohol-based sanitiser or disinfectant to disinfect your devices. Do not spray disinfectant directly on the devices, it can get into any ports of the device, which can damage it. Remember to spray 70% alcohol-based disinfectant onto a cloth or use Clorox disinfectant to to gently wipe your devices.

Power off

Never clean your device while it is still plugged-on. Using alcohol-based disinfectant to clean your devices while on a charger can damage it in case a little moisture gets inside . It cancels out the risk of electric shock totally.

Soap and water treatment

Wash your phone covers with soap and warm water. Remember, not just your phone but your phone cover can also be the source of contamination of viruses. To clean your phone cover, take it off and wash it with soap and warm water.

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Originally Appeared Here

SINGAPORE – Home recovery is now the default care management model for people infected with Covid-19 who have mild or no symptoms.

While those on the Home Recovery Programme (HRP) must isolate themselves in a room and refrain from interacting with anyone, there is a higher risk of other people living in the same home becoming infected with the virus. Hence, there is a need to take more thorough precautions.

Experts share tips on how people can maintain hygiene and cleanliness during HRP.

Ventilating the room

Covid-19 patients should avoid switching on the air-conditioner and open the windows to keep the isolation room well ventilated.

Dr Tan Teck Jack, chief executive of the Northeast Medical Group clinic chain, says switching on the air-con with the windows closed may result in viral particles escaping from under the door, potentially spreading the virus.

Instead, it is better to switch on the fan and point it away from the room door towards the windows.

If patients switch on the air-con in the room, they should get an air-con specialist to wash it after the isolation period, says a cleaning expert. “This is because the Covid-19 virus is airborne and particles may be trapped in the coil,” says Mr Bryan Wong, a cleaning specialist at cleaning firm Hiremop.

Serving food and washing utensils

The patient’s family members should wear masks and ensure meals are left just outside the patient’s room door, says Dr Tan. They should move away before the patient opens the door to ensure safe distancing and to minimise contact with the patient.

Use dedicated utensils and cutlery set aside for the patient if disposable ones are unavailable, he adds.

After the meal, patients should wash the utensils and cutlery themselves before placing them outside the room, says Mr Johnson Zhuo, founder and managing director of cleaning company Dream Sparkle.

However, if the utensils cannot be washed in the room, the family member tasked with collecting the finished meal should wear gloves before carrying out the task.

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Originally Appeared Here