Booklet provides guidance for people affected by floods

A booklet prepared by the Federal Council of Chemistry (CFQ) gathers, in simple language, a set of useful information for the population affected by floods. The booklet, available in digital format, lists guidelines for adopting better sanitation processes for environments and utensils exposed to water and for combating the appearance of urban pests and disease vectors. With the arrival of summer and the rainy season in much of Brazil, several cities have been experiencing floods and other problems resulting from excessive precipitation. A balance sheet released on Tuesday (26) by the National Civil Defense warns of the situation in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Santa Catarina and São Paulo. In the four states, 16 deaths have already been recorded and more than 10,000 people are homeless or displaced. The content of the booklet was produced in partnership with the Association of Vector and Urban Pest Controls (Aprag), the Union of Vector and Urban Pest Control Companies (Sindprag) and the Brazilian Association of Hygiene, Cleaning and Sanitizing Products Industries (Abipla). The material seeks to show the importance of chemistry in education and health promotion, disseminating knowledge on how to act in cases of floods, especially for those who live close to rivers and in areas with little sanitation. The insert brings an important alert for the correct cleaning of the house and for the hygiene of the objects: it is essential to use rubber gloves, rubber boots, plastic pants and protective glasses, in order to avoid contamination. These measures also reduce the risk of shock when cleaning the light board or electrical parts. Another topic addressed in the booklet involves water consumption. The orientation is for it to be boiled for at least one minute or to add two drops of sodium hypochlorite with a concentration of 2.5% (bleach) for each liter of water. The booklet also guides the search for information, indicating contact with public authorities in the locality to stay informed about the water supply and the appearance of vector agents for diseases such as leptospirosis and hepatitis.

Agência Brasil