St. Maarten Nectar continues its “Bite Prevention Campaign” with help from the private sector

For most of 2016, St. Maarten Nectar has been working hard to educate the public on simple ways to deter mosquito bites in an effort to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases on the island. Unbeknownst to some, the deadliest animal on the planet is in fact the mosquito which is responsible for over 2million deaths worldwide per year. This is why it is important to promote vigilant habits as some illnesses can spread quickly as we have seen in the past year with Zika.

St. Maarten Nectar is the sole producer of Bug O%, a locally made and internationally distributed natural bug spray. The ingredients in their formula have been vetted by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in the United States as certified effective for repelling both the Aedes aegypti and common mosquito, two breeds known for spreading illnesses like Dengue, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever and Zika.

As passionate developers of this successful brand, St. Maarten Nectar decided to build a campaign designed to teach students about preventative measures and to donate diffusers to schools in order to help reduce the chances of students being bitten. Using three simple steps: Protect, Repel and Eliminate, St. Maarten Nectar hopes to encourage the island to take all simple but necessary measures to slow down the spread of illnesses on the island.

So far, St. Maarten Nectar has had the pleasure of visiting 6 schools to give a presentation about tips kids can start doing to lower bite risks including wearing loose fitting clothing, sleeping with nets, and helping their parents to rid their immediate environment of junk and stagnant water in order to rob the bugs of their breeding grounds. So far, nearly 50 diffusers have been donated to these schools which help to repel mosquitos, keeping students and staff safe. 

However, efforts like these could not have been done without the help of local businesses who sponsored the machines. SBS, St. Maarten Building Services donated 8 diffusers to Prince Williem Alexander school in Dutch Quarter. Carrefour and Grand Marche were kind enough to provide 8 diffusers to Mac School and the students at Sister Regina were excited to receive their donation of 8 diffusers from Intertoys. St. Maarten Nectar provided over 30 diffusers to the remaining schools as well as a 3 month supply of diffusing oil for all of the institutions in hopes that the community will get involved in these easy steps that can keep you safe from illness.