Rooibos Council donates over 77 000 cups of tea to SA’s hospital staff

Adele du Toit, the spokesperson for the SA Rooibos Council (SARC), shared that as the country accelerates toward the peak of the virus, its dedicated doctors, nurses and other medical staff are bearing the brunt as they risk their lives to care for Covid-19 patients.

“Hospitals are filling up every day and frontline staff are working long hours to battle the virus day and night. Many of them are exhausted- both physically and mentally- and even have scars from wearing protective devices, but they keep soldiering on. Now more than ever, we want to show our gratitude by supplying them with a steady stream of rooibos tea to remind them that we care,” she said.

Rooibos Council has donated more than 24 000 cups of rooibos tea to designated Covid-19 hospitals in Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Among the hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal that will benefit from the donation are King Edward VIII and Grey’s Hospitals.

Hospitals in Cape Town and Johannesburg have also been gifted with 53 960 cups of rooibos tea to boost staff morale countrywide.

Ntokozo Maphisa, the acting head of communications at King Edward VIII Hospital is grateful for the donation and stated that it will warm the hearts of doctors and nurses at the facility.

Dr Ben Bilinge at Grey’s Hospital commented that the tea will help to perk up staff and inspire them to continue to serve and care for the health needs of their community.

Du Toit remarked that staying hydrated is an essential part of overall wellness for everyone, but for doctors and nurses with high-intensity work shifts, it is even more critical.

“Drinking rooibos will also reduce the likelihood of headaches and fatigue, which are common when opting for coffee or energy drinks that contain caffeine,” she revealed.

Rooibos has been proved to fight stress, by lowering the stress hormone, cortisol, which will help health workers cope and is packed with antioxidants, that sustains a healthy immune system. Other health benefits include reducing the risk of vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis, which both play a role in the development of heart disease.

“It’s humbling to think that there are literally millions of medical staff around the world right now that are putting their lives on the line, often with limited resources. The donation is our way of showing appreciating and saying thank you for going beyond caring for patients during the pandemic. You are our true national heroes,” she concluded.

For more information, visit the official SA Rooibos Council website by clicking here.

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