Latest news with #AllergyNewZealand
RNZ News
25-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Why doing an 'autumn clean' could keep you and your home healthier this winter
Photo: 123RF As the colder months approach, experts say that doing an 'autumn clean' could keep your household healthier this winter. "Most people think 'spring clean', but actually if you think about it, an autumn clean makes more sense," scientist Dr Michelle Dickinson said. "You're about to spend maybe up to four or five months hunkered down with all your windows closed because of winter in your home. So why not make sure that hunkering down space is nice and clean and dust-free and allergen-free?" Dickinson said pollen, mold spores and dust mites were among the allergens that could lurk in the home. "So, if you want your home to be healthy over the winter, actually getting a good clean in the autumn is a great idea." Allergy New Zealand chief executive Mark Dixon said New Zealand was the "world capital" for dust mites. He said dust mites loved humidity and lived in soft furnishings such as mattresses, pillows, carpets and curtains. He said they were often found in particularly high concentrations in bedrooms. Dixon said during winter, the combination of closed windows, indoor heating and moisture from cooking and showers created a perfect breeding ground. "If you can keep your home under 50 percent humidity, you're probably winning the war against dust mites". Ventilation was also important. Dixon said opening a window for 15 minutes during the colder months would help clear the air inside the home. Dickinson said being closed up over winter could also increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the home and make its inhabitants feel drowsy and lethargic. "If you're feeling quite sleepy in your home, just crack your window open a tiny little bit, let some ventilation in. It won't freeze your house, but it will probably help you clear your head and make you feel a bit better." []Not just what you clean, but how you clean it Dickinson said many household cleaners released "volatile organic compounds" which could cause headaches and eye, nose or throat irritation. She recommended using cleaners with natural ingredients instead, and ingredients such as citric acid worked just as well as bleach. Michelle Dickinson. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin Ecostore research and development director Huia Iti said natural cleaners were not just healthier for the home, but when washed down the drain kinder to the environment. He said when purchasing a cleaner, consumers should look for products that were independently certified by credible organisations. "Unfortunately, there is a lot of greenwashing out there," he said. Some credible endorsements Iti recommended looking out for included B Corp, Eco Choice Aotearoa and Sensitive Choice. To get the best out of a clean, Dickinson advised cleaning top to bottom, so any stray dirt would fall away from the clean area and be picked up later. Cleaners, she said, also needed to be left on a surface for 10 minutes to be fully effective. "When you spray a cleaner onto a surface, the surfactants are the first to kick in. These clever molecules surround grease and oil, lifting them off your benchtop and pulling them into tiny spheres that can be wiped away easily. The disinfectants then need time to kill germs by breaking down the proteins and cell membranes that keep bacteria and viruses alive. After 10 minutes, everything is in a form that easily wipes away. "Also remember to do your high touch points, so your light switches, your door handles, and especially those areas that lots of grubby hands are going to be touching." To reduce dust mites, along with keeping the home well-ventilated, Dixon also recommended using HEPA-filter vacuums, mattress and pillow dust mite covers, and if needed swapping out heavy curtains for washable blinds. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Learn To Be An EpiPen® Lifesaver This Allergy Awareness Week
Press Release – Allergy New Zealand Allergy New Zealand is calling on Kiwis to learn how to use an EpiPen this Allergy Awareness Week (11-17 May). Allergy NZ Chief Executive Mark Dixon said; We want all Kiwis to feel confident to act in an allergy emergency, just as we would with … Would you know how to save a life if you needed to respond to someone having a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)? Allergy New Zealand is calling on Kiwis to learn how to use an EpiPen® this Allergy Awareness Week (11-17 May). Allergy NZ Chief Executive Mark Dixon said; 'We want all Kiwis to feel confident to act in an allergy emergency, just as we would with basic CPR and accessing a defibrillator'. To help, Allergy New Zealand has launched a poster outlining the steps a person needs to take to administer an EpiPen® – and potentially save a life. The poster can be viewed HERE. Since Pharmac began fully funding EpiPens for people at risk of anaphylaxis in February 2023, more and more people in our communities are now able to carry them. 'With no cost barrier, New Zealanders of all ages and stages of life can now have a pen with them if they need it,' Mark said. 'Pharmac has recently renewed its funding commitment – a decision we applaud.' 'This Allergy Awareness Week, our focus is on educating people on how to use an EpiPen®. By following the actions in our poster, anyone should be able to step in and help someone if they are having a serious allergic reaction and are not able to help themselves. We encourage people to share the poster widely with family, friends, and community networks.' An EpiPen® is a medical device that contains a single, pre-measured dose of adrenaline that will alleviate symptoms for a person experiencing anaphylaxis (the most severe form of allergic reaction) until emergency services arrive. It is designed for quick and easy use by the person themselves, or if they are too unwell, family members, friends, teachers, colleagues, or members of the public. The steps in the poster outlining how to use an EpiPen® to save a life, include: How to identify if someone is experiencing symptoms of anaphylaxis How and where to administer the EpiPen® Actions to take – If possible, lie the person/child flat; administer the EpiPen®; call 111; say the word 'anaphylaxis' to the call taker; and follow their instructions until emergency services arrive. 'An EpiPen® is easily identifiable through its distinctive blue and orange colours at each end,' Mark said. 'A really easy way to remember how to administer an EpiPen® is: 'Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh'. If you remove the blue safety cap, put the orange end to the outer mid-thigh and push firmly against the leg for three seconds, the EpiPen® will be triggered and can deliver the dose of adrenaline without you seeing or needing to handle needles.' 'We hope we can encourage people to step in and act without fear if they know, or come across, someone who needs this urgent, lifesaving treatment. Knowing how to act, could literally make you a lifesaver. And it's not hard.' Allergy Awareness Week is also an important time for local groups and clubs to check how accessible EpiPens are in their communities. For instance, does your school, fire station, camping ground, Department of Conservation (DoC) hut have an EpiPen®, and are key people trained to use it?
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Learn To Be An EpiPen® Lifesaver This Allergy Awareness Week
Would you know how to save a life if you needed to respond to someone having a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)? Allergy New Zealand is calling on Kiwis to learn how to use an EpiPen® this Allergy Awareness Week (11-17 May). Allergy NZ Chief Executive Mark Dixon said; 'We want all Kiwis to feel confident to act in an allergy emergency, just as we would with basic CPR and accessing a defibrillator'. To help, Allergy New Zealand has launched a poster outlining the steps a person needs to take to administer an EpiPen® - and potentially save a life. The poster can be viewed HERE. Since Pharmac began fully funding EpiPens for people at risk of anaphylaxis in February 2023, more and more people in our communities are now able to carry them. 'With no cost barrier, New Zealanders of all ages and stages of life can now have a pen with them if they need it,' Mark said. 'Pharmac has recently renewed its funding commitment - a decision we applaud.' 'This Allergy Awareness Week, our focus is on educating people on how to use an EpiPen®. By following the actions in our poster, anyone should be able to step in and help someone if they are having a serious allergic reaction and are not able to help themselves. We encourage people to share the poster widely with family, friends, and community networks.' An EpiPen® is a medical device that contains a single, pre-measured dose of adrenaline that will alleviate symptoms for a person experiencing anaphylaxis (the most severe form of allergic reaction) until emergency services arrive. It is designed for quick and easy use by the person themselves, or if they are too unwell, family members, friends, teachers, colleagues, or members of the public. The steps in the poster outlining how to use an EpiPen® to save a life, include: How to identify if someone is experiencing symptoms of anaphylaxis How and where to administer the EpiPen® Actions to take - If possible, lie the person/child flat; administer the EpiPen®; call 111; say the word 'anaphylaxis' to the call taker; and follow their instructions until emergency services arrive. 'An EpiPen® is easily identifiable through its distinctive blue and orange colours at each end,' Mark said. 'A really easy way to remember how to administer an EpiPen® is: 'Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh'. If you remove the blue safety cap, put the orange end to the outer mid-thigh and push firmly against the leg for three seconds, the EpiPen® will be triggered and can deliver the dose of adrenaline without you seeing or needing to handle needles.' 'We hope we can encourage people to step in and act without fear if they know, or come across, someone who needs this urgent, lifesaving treatment. Knowing how to act, could literally make you a lifesaver. And it's not hard.' Allergy Awareness Week is also an important time for local groups and clubs to check how accessible EpiPens are in their communities. For instance, does your school, fire station, camping ground, Department of Conservation (DoC) hut have an EpiPen®, and are key people trained to use it?
