With the first cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus confirmed in South Africa, online cleaning service SweepSouth has announced that it has proactively started preparing domestic workers who find work using its platform on the illness.

While SweepSouth is only a platform connecting previously unemployed and underemployed domestic workers looking for work with opportunities, it wants to ensure that the domestic workers who make use of its services are prepared should COVID-19 spread further in South Africa.

To that effect, SweepSouth has started informing SweepStars on the symptoms to watch out for regarding COVID-19 and what actions they need to take should they feel ill, or encounter anyone displaying any symptoms.

“In light of how rapidly COVID-19 has spread in other countries following the announcement of their first cases, we want to make sure that our SweepStars are following the advice guidelines set up by the national department of health and the World Health Organisation (WHO),” says Aisha Pandor, CEO and co-founder of SweepSouth. 

“As we are in constant communication with our SweepStars, we have used our communications platforms to pass along these messages as many of them may not be aware of the various websites set up with this information.”

While SweepStars do not provide deep-cleaning services, SweepSouth has also updated its training to ensure that SweepStars are aware of how to effectively clean domestic and work environments in light of the COVID-19. 

“As the need for cleaning services become more prevalent in light of the current situation, we wanted to proactively confirm that our SweepStars are aware of how they can ensure a home or office is properly cleaned in light of coronavirus. More than anything, this has simply meant reminding SweepStars to follow the tenets of basic hygiene which health officials say remain effective and important to follow,” Pandor says.

“However, even if there are retail shortages of disinfectants, we’ve also communicated to Sweepstars how to make up solutions from everyday household ingredients.”