Coronavirus news
for chemical and chemical-using companies
Can you help?
31st March 2020: PPE is badly needed in the NHS, and if you have any spare, you can donate via https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-support-from-business or directly to local hospitals, individual carers etc. Many things are needed: gloves, surgical masks, respirators, face visors, aprons, paper overalls. PPE specification: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-specifications-for-personal-protective-equipment-ppe . BSI advice on getting certification for masks: https://page.bsigroup.com/webmail/73472/864326957/98e3ec0dea2d632f1fdd836d768668f941fe761fc472a40577c2b3ae341f3e12
When to use a mask or respirator: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874411/When_to_use_face_mask_or_FFP3.pdf Respirator fit: https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/face-mask-ppe-rpe-coronavirus.htm
28th March 2020: Do you carry out computer modelling as part of your work? Can you help the Royal Society with modelling the pandemic? sign up here: https://epcced.github.io/ramp/, deadline 5pm on 2nd April 2020
27th March 2020: Can you help the UK Government with supplies, logistics and manufacturing facilities etc? https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-support-from-business
26th March 2020: Think you may have (or have had) COVID symptoms? please report to Kings College via this app so they can track disease progress: https://covid.joinzoe.com/
26th March 2020: Become a Citizen Scientist, work on health data in your spare time: https://www.cochrane.org/news/be-cochrane-citizen-scientist-and-contribute-health-evidence
23rd March 2020 Thermofisher Thermo Scientific Kingfisher purification systems wanted - contact Greg Leach at Thermofisher https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregleach/
Good news! Industry response to coronavirus
7th April 2020: The 3M Buckley Innovation Centre at the University of Huddersfield are making face visors using their 3-D printers: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sue-cooke-3a479410_3dprinting-ppeshortage-huddersfield-ugcPost-6653251329655349248-gt97
7th April 2020: Surfachem are making and donating alcohol-based hand sanitiser for healthcare workers: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/surfachem_sciencesaveslives-handgel-frontline-activity-6653238937554952192-ShTV
4th April 2020: Brewdog hand sanitiser production up and running: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/james-watt-21a5a912b_packing-brewdog-hand-sanitiser-247-we-ugcPost-6652147905266274304-hl--
3rd April 2020: Thornton and Ross are sending out moisturiser samples to healthcare workers who are suffering from painful dry skin because of wearing PPE constantly: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thornton-%26-ross_to-support-uk-healthcare-workers-thornton-activity-6651782662702936064-XyJj .
3rd April 2020: University of Huddersfield donates PPE: https://www.hud.ac.uk/news/2020/april/uni-donates-personal-protective-equipment-to-nhs/
2nd April 2020:Lubrizol pledges $2million of support along with practical actions to improve hand sanitiser supply: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200402005466/en/Lubrizol%E2%80%99s-Science-Supports-Billions-Lives-COVID-19-Company
1st April 2020: Avocet Dye and Chemical Co Ltd of Brighouse were given 100 face masks by a Chinese supplier, and they have donated these to Calderdale NHS. Avocet have also asked their other Chinese suppliers for support, and are expecting more donated face masks soon.
30th March 2020: Croda have donated enough glycerine to make 5 million bottles of hand sanitiser and are also supporting vaccine development: https://www.croda.com/en-gb/news/2020/03/croda-supports-hand-sanitiser-manufacture-and-vaccine-development-during-covid19-outbreak?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=LinkedIn&utm_term=&utm_content=9fcf9ddb-581d-4bb3-9ecb-01bdacd9591c&utm_campaign=Sustainability
30th March 2020: Dow Chemical to make hand sanitiser at 4 plants worldwide: https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw-bay-city/2020/03/dow-to-make-hand-sanitizer-in-michigan-and-4-other-plants-worldwide.html
28th March 2020: Brenntag Nordic are making a new hand sanitiser product: and Brenntag Germany have donated 1000 litres of disinfectant to the Essen Fire Department:
27th March 2020: Univar are working with Ineos on the new hand sanitiser factory, where sanitiser will be given free to NHS staff:
27th March 2020: Hovione in Portugal are making hand sanitiser for free for their healthcare workers:
26th March 2020: Shell is donating 2,500,000 litres of IPA in the Netherlands to make hand sanitisers, and Den Hartogh will transport if for free:
26th March 2020: Solvay donate 1800 litres of hydrogen peroxide to health authorities in Italy:
25th March 2020: BOC have stepped up production of medical oxygen at their Wolverhampton site:
25th March 2020: Unilever are contributing £100m of cleaning products, food etc worldwide, running handwashing training, adapting production lines to make hand sanitiser for hospitals, aand paying vulnerable suppliers early:
24th March 2020: Gabriele Scibila of consultancy Flashpoint SRL donated 100 surgical face masks they'd been sent from a colleague in China to the hospital in Pisa, even though it means his own staff are unprotected
24th March 2020: Ineos setting up new hand sanitiser factory in 10 days: https://www.ineos.com/news/ineos-group/ineos-to-build-hand-sanitiser-plant-near-middlesbrough-in-10-days-to-make-1-million-bottles-per-month/
24th March 2020: Diageo donating Grain Neutral Spirit to make hand sanisiter liquids: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11236126/coronavirus-johnnie-walker-smirnoff-hand-sanitiser/
23rd March 2020: Huntsman increasing biocide production in Switzerland : https://communityimpact.com/houston/the-woodlands/coronavirus/2020/03/23/huntsman-corp-ramps-up-sanitizer-production-for-switzerland/
20th March 2020: Lonza increasing hand sanitiser production :
17th March 2020: BASF Ludwigshafen supplying free hand sanitiser to local hospitals https://www.basf.com/global/en/who-we-are/organization/locations/europe/german-sites/ludwigshafen/the-site/news-and-media/news-releases/2020/03/p-12-165.html?utm_campaign=5c34b12b9ebef40001001c1b&utm_content=5e7090ddb99d840001e41dd2&utm_medium=smarpshare&utm_source=linkedin
Useful information on coronavirus response
8th April 2020: Letter from the Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, to manufacturing industry verifying they should keep working and thanking them for their efforts: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878651/Letter_from_Secretary_of_State_Alok_Sharma_MP_to_those_working_in_Manufacturing.pdf
27th March 2020: HSE derogation BPR on propan-2-ol press release: https://press.hse.gov.uk/2020/03/27/hse-issues-exemption-for-the-manufacture-and-supply-of-biocidal-hand-sanitiser-products-in-the-uk/ and actual derogation and useful info on ethanol hand sanitisers: https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/hand-sanitiser-manufacture-supply-coronavirus.htm
ECHA and industry response to COVID-19, Speciality Chemicals magazine: https://www.specchemonline.com/covid-19-echa-and-industry-respond-disinfectant-shortages
24th March 2020: ECHA latest COVID-19 response: https://echa.europa.eu/-/speeding-up-the-supply-of-disinfectants
24th March 2020: CBI advice to manufacturing companies, via CBA:
24th March 2020: HSE approach to BPR, via CHCS:
23rd March 2020: CEFIC summary of key sector response:
Ethanol rules from HMRC, via BACS:
Dentons COVID-19 hub (force majeure, employer responsibilities etc): https://www.dentons.com/en/issues-and-opportunities/covid-19-coronavirus-hub
Handwashing resources:
HSE Research Report on handwashing : https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr1007.pdf
Handwashing demo using black paint: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/coronavirus-how-to-wash-hands-video-black-paint-gloves-a9417486.html .
Surfachem reminder on using personal care products for hand washing: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/surfachem_handhygiene-scienceeducation-coronavirus-activity-6646726338986278912-JKOa .
Infographic summarising hand washing info: https://www.nationaljewish.org/conditions/health-information/health-infographics/keep-hands-clean-prevent-the-spread-of-germs .
Educational resources: adults
23rd March 2020: Introduction to CLP videos ( a series of 3 from TT Environmental): https://www.ghsclassificationcourses.com/video-series-day-1/
23rd March 2020: Free LinkedIn training from Helen Pritchard (useful if you need to market more, or find work via LinkedIn). Warning: Helen is a bit passionate and sweary, not everyone's cup of tea, but she really knows her stuff:
Headline Guide - https://lnkd.in/d6sJ5Kh
Webinar - https://lnkd.in/du9_4w3
Your Daily LinkedIn Actions - https://lnkd.in/di-2Axe
And two 5 day DIY challenges: Content Challenge - https://lnkd.in/d2Hw_Xa Ideal Client Avatar Challenge - https://lnkd.in/dZAz3eD
Aaaaaaand if you’d like to register for the next FREE 5 Day Challenge , please sign up here - https://lnkd.in/d7Afxd5
Educational resources: children
Free book explaining Coronavirus to children: https://nosycrow.com/blog/released-today-free-information-book-explaining-coronavirus-children-illustrated-gruffalo-illustrator-axel-scheffler/
Science: CLEAPSS advises schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on practical science, technology and art, as well as H&S in these subjects: http://science.cleapss.org.uk/Policies/What-Is-Cleapss.aspx
Our Home Page: http://www.cleapss.org.uk/ has links to our secondary science, secondary technology and primary pages. These have links to guides we’ve produced to help teachers prepare activities for pupils at home, both primary: http://primary.cleapss.org.uk/Resource/P098-Practical-activities-for-children-at-home-during-a-school-closure.aspx and secondary: http://science.cleapss.org.uk/Resource-Info/GL339-Practical-activities-for-pupils-at-home-during-extended-periods-of-school-closure.aspx.
While most of our resources are on members-only access our secondary Student Safety Sheets and YouTube videos for school technicians and teachers are open-access. You could suggest that your child’s teacher checks their school membership status and makes use of our resources to prepare activities for your children.
We also have a CLEAPSS Knitting Book: http://science.cleapss.org.uk/Resource-Info/CLEAPSS-Knitting-Book.aspx. (free, looks excellent!)
TT Environmental note: don't forget there are numerous excellent home science kits on Amazon (if they are still delivering): https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=science+kits&crid=202QJ31YRNATJ&sprefix=science+%2Caps%2C149&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8
Other subjects:
Croda Science for Schools: https://www.crodascienceforschools.com/ and daily science from home challenges at https://twitter.com/CrodaSTEM
York Uni archaeology department: https://www.york.ac.uk/archaeology/schools/
Carol Vorderman (maths): http://themathsfactor.com (4 - 11 free until schools reopen)
Joe Wicks (PE): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ (various ages, free)
Diane Buswell (dancing): https://www.instagram.com/diannebuswell/channel/?hl=en (various ages, free)
Myleene Klass (music): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQh2wgJ5tOrixYBn6jFXsXQ/videos (free)
Kids Cook with Theo (cookery): https://www.youtube.com/user/cookwiththeo
Creating an advert (11- 16 year olds): https://mediasmart.uk.com/creating-an-advert/
Multiple topics from the Scouts: https://www.scouts.org.uk/the-great-indoors
Multiple topics and games from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/activities/indoor-activities
Chester zoo: https://www.chesterzoo.org/schools/resources/?types=at-home
School and pre-school learning for all ages: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/home-learning-hub
Primary and pre-school childrens activities ,16 pages, from Steve and Hannah Marks (not forgetting Thomas!):
Virtual travel to different countries (thanks to Abigail Langridge for spotting this):
St Helen's Council list of multiple educational resources (thanks to Vicky Sayer): https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/public-health-and-wellbeing/coronavirus/home-learning-resources/
Crafters corner: all ages
Free patterns available at Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/account/login , you have to sign up but its free
John Lewis are still operating online for haberdashery: https://www.johnlewis.com/sport-leisure/haberdashery/c9200110070
You can get tools, nuts and bolts etc from Amazon for carpentry or metalwork projects
Gina's sewing recommendations:
Periodic table sew-on patches (made to order): https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/658305684/1-x-periodic-element-science-nerdy-sew-n
“Coping admirably” cross stitch pattern (one we could all do with at the moment!): https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/787513765/coping-admirable-cross-stitch-pattern
“I have not idea how to wash this clothing” cross stitch pattern: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/716524036/i-have-no-idea-how-to-wash-this-clothing
Cat astrology patches (well, why not?): https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/741136341/catstrology-patches-all-12-signs-gemma
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/773627692/behold-my-feminist-agenda-cross-stitch
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/778732412/no-power-in-the-verse-can-stop-me-cross
Amazing wool art in petri dishes (thanks to Amy Creasy for the link): https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/03/elin-thomas-fiber-art-petri-dishes/
Perovskite chemical structure knit: (thanks to Joanna Sacks for the link): http://www.chemknits.com/2013/08/perovskite-crystal-project.html
Mental wellness tips for quarantine, from a psychologist: https://www.facebook.com/schlichenmayerbots/posts/10157913895840926
50 reasons not to change, Rhodia (for organisations):