SIMPSON BAY – St. Maarten Nectar, local producer of natural cosmetics and Bug Off repellents launched its fight against the Zika virus, and specifically its mosquito bite prevention campaign. This is an island-wide program, which encourages children to develop healthy bite prevention habits.
The campaign was launched with the placement of over 100 posters in public areas around the community like supermarkets and drugstores on the island. The company stressed its “Protect-Repel-Eliminate” message at various schools and playschools and donated diffusers as part of its social corporate responsibility program.
Management of St. Maarten Nectar said it was important to start a campaign in the schools, “because our children grow up around mosquitoes they may not have the sense of urgency to protect themselves.”
“They should learn that there are on average one million mosquito-related deaths a year worldwide. However, there are steps that can be taken to achieve a bug-free community,” according to a company representative.
The St. Maarten Nectar team met with the Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs at the launch of the campaign and offered to assist the Ministry with oil for diffusers in an effort to combat mosquitoes given the start of Carnival and of the rainy season. The potential partnership with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Labour, Public Health and Social Welfare will be further explored.
Zika is a virus transmitted primarily by the Aedes mosquito, which is also responsible for dengue and yellow fever and chikungunya virus. Persons suffering from the Zika virus disease can show symptoms including mild fever, headache, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, and skin rash.
According to the World Health Organization, (WHO), the Zika virus is “spreading explosively” in the Americas. The US Center for Disease Control, CDC, has confirmed a link to the virus causing birth defects. It has, therefore, warned pregnant women against traveling to countries where the disease has been found, including St. Martin/St. Maarten where several cases of Zika have been confirmed. St. Maarten Nectar wants to do all it can to mitigate the number of Zika cases on our island.
St. Maarten Nectar has an all natural repellent line of products for adults as well as babies, which is prescribed by medical practitioners in Guadeloupe. The company was founded in St. Maarten in July 2010.
For more information visit: www.StMaartenNectar.com.
Caption: Photo of students during a Zika Prevention presentation at the Seventh Day Adventist school.
