Recalls highlight importance of hand sanitizer safety
Abstract
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) promoted public health measures such as increased hand hygiene to help reduce viral transmission. Although a simple action, regular hand washing is considered a primary strategy for stopping the spread of infectious agents. When soap and water are not available or practical, hand sanitizers are a useful alternative. Proper handling of these products is important, and in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health developed a poster and a blog post to orient people to safety issues associated with the use of these products. Canadian consumers were quick to respond to hand hygiene recommendations. The unprecedented early demand for hand sanitizer meant that shortages quickly ensued. This led some people to consider making hand sanitizer at home. This article summarizes the some of the issues associated with the rapid demand for hand sanitizers and the role of public health practitioners in addressing potential safety concerns over hand sanitizers.
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