![]() The recommended concentration has been increased to 96% of ethanol and 99.8% of isopropyl at a lower volume. 6Īs a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the WHO has enforced changes to the concentrations of ethanol and isopropyl in hand sanitisers. Some may contain 60% – 95% alcohol, whilst many contain 70%. 6 The concentrations of ethanol vary with different companies. 5 Some sanitisers may be composed slightly differently with ethanol and isopropyl and aminomethyl propanol. 4Īlcohol-based sanitisers are composed of ethanol or isopropyl, distilled water, octenidine dihydrochloride and phenoxyethanol. 4 In addition, recent reports showed that ocular injuries occur because of inadvertent exposure to contents of hand sanitisers from those installed at waist-level height of an adult but at eye level or above for a child causing induced ocular injury (IOI) through direct exposure. Furthermore, toddlers and those under the age of 6 years may find the scented sanitisers appealing and may ingest them directly or indirectly through their hands after sanitising. They are encouraged to wear masks, practice social distancing and to sanitise their hands regularly, but may not be encouraged enough to avoid touching their faces or mouths with sanitised hands and this may create health complications. Small children have little understanding of the dangers of their surroundings and of the dangers of COVID-19. The effects of the contents and the risk thereof to small children aged 12 and below will be highlighted. This report focuses on the unintended consequences of the frequent use of hand sanitisers in children. Therefore, young children in particular should be trained to avoid frequently touching their faces and sucking their hands. 2 However, the frequent use of alcohol-based sanitiser may be hazardous to the skin, eyes and chest if inhaled, especially in small children because they have very sensitive skin. 2 These measures have decreased the spread of the virus substantially. 1 To reduce and prevent individual spread and spread from contact with surfaces that have been contaminated, wearing of masks, social distancing and frequent sanitising with alcohol-based sanitiser or hand washing with soap and water have been recommended in a large number of countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus pandemic only in March 2020. The first cases of coronavirus were reported at the end of December 2019. The most effective type is the alcohol-based sanitiser (60% – 95% alcohol content). Sanitisers are either water-based or alcohol-based. However, after the pandemic, hand sanitisers have become the “new norm” particularly if hand washing with soap and water is unavailable. 1 Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the use of hand sanitisers was encouraged mainly in public spaces and hospital wards. ![]() 1 Chemicals such as hand sanitisers have been formulated and designed to kill dermal microbial and viral infections. ![]() These include promoting washing of hands over sanitisers where possible, training children on how to use hand sanitisers and creating awareness of the dangers if ingested or in contact with the eyes.Ĭontagious diseases utilise the skin (hands), nostrils (inhalation), eyes (contact) and mouth (ingestion) as the port of entry for infection. Other interventions on lowering the risk of adverse events because of misuse of hand sanitiser should be practised more often. Therefore, the use of hand sanitisers in general needs to be revised in both children and adults. Children may also rub their eyes with sanitised hands and cause ocular injury. This allows the invasion of other bacterial and viral infections. Consumption of alcohol in children may result in hypoglycaemia, apnoea and acidosis. Unintentional or intentional ingestion of hand sanitisers in children under the age of 12 years may occur because of the colour, smell and flavour added to it. Recent studies have shown that the misuse and increased unsupervised availability of alcohol-based hand sanitisers may result in adverse events in children such as skin irritation, dryness, cracking and peeling. ![]() However, the safety thereof requires consideration as this may be hazardous in children. The use of hand sanitisers is common practice to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
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