Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic schools have had to implement drastic cleaning measures that could be doing more harm than good. Classrooms are being bleached multiple times per day which can have serious health implications for teachers, students, and staff.
The short term effects are:
- Irritating, itchy or burning eyes.
- Skin rashes, allergies and burns.
- Dizziness and headaches.
- Nose bleeds.
- Sore throat, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath.
Here are some of the longer-term effects linked to cleaning chemicals:
- Skin disorders.
- Respiratory diseases (especially asthma).
- Allergies.
- Harm to the brain, nervous system, reproductive organs, kidneys and liver.
One studyshowed that professional cleaning products are mixtures of substances, and more than 132 different chemical substances were identified out of 105 products.