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Face Masks and Hand Sanitizers
Published in Hanadi Talal Ahmedah, Muhammad Riaz, Sagheer Ahmed, Marius Alexandru Moga, The Covid-19 Pandemic, 2023
Shahzad Sharif, Mahnoor Zahid, Maham Saeed, Izaz Ahmad, M. Zia-Ul-Haq, Rizwan Ahmad
Frequent use of sanitizers containing alcohol is prescribed by health experts to prevent microbe infections including coronavirus. But exposure of alcohol increased the risk of dermatitis. Excess use of sanitizers containing alcohol against pneumonia virus affected skin badly and made it vulnerable for other viral infections. Hand sanitizers are used in excess all over the world as disinfectant considering the risk of viral infections. Skin dullness and dryness caused by excessive application of alcohol-based sanitizers that affected the function of skin as well as skin barrier by increasing its permeability [214]. Dry skin increased the risk for viral and bacterial infection as it is quite easy for microbes to infect a person with damaged skin [214]. It is reported in literature that frequent exposure to alcoholic sanitizers increases viral infection risk. The outbreak of norovirus risk is also increase by excess use of alcohol-based products as reported in literature [116]. The correlation of alcohol containing sanitizers and norovirus outbreak was studied by arranging 160 care facilities. They were observed to apply hand sanitizers 6 times in comparison to soap/water, and 91 were countered positively, 73 were infected in these cases, and 29 were confirmed for norovirus [115].
Infection prevention and control
Published in Nicola Neale, Joanne Sale, Developing Practical Nursing Skills, 2022
Loveday et al. (2014) reviewed hand-cleaning preparations. They concluded that, generally, washing hands effectively with soap and water removes transient microorganisms and renders hands socially clean, which is sufficient for most care activities. Antimicrobial soap is not required for the majority of healthcare activities but should be used when there is the potential for resident flora to cause infection i.e., surgical procedures. Some antiseptics such as chlorhexidine gluconate have a residual effect, which can be beneficial where it is desirable to have sustained suppression of the growth of microorganisms. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers come in many forms; rub, gel and foam and provide an effective way to rapidly clean the hands, reducing both transient and resident flora, particularly in those locations with limited access to clean water. However, alcohol-based products are rapidly inactivated in the presence of organic matter and so should not be used on visibly soiled hands, nor are they effective against spores, so should not be used when caring for individuals with C. difficile. Alcohol hand rubs have been shown to increase the frequency of hand hygiene and so improve hand hygiene compliance, particularly if located at the point of care (Wilson 2019).
Management of COVID-19 Rehabilitation Nursing
Published in Wenguang Xia, Xiaolin Huang, Rehabilitation from COVID-19, 2021
Quick-drying hand disinfectant is preferred when sanitizing hands, and other hand sanitizers can be used for allergic people. Chlorhexidine is ineffective in inactivating coronavirus, so it is not recommended. Hand disinfectants containing chlorine, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and other ingredients are recommended.
Pediatric hand sanitizer exposures reported to United States poison centers, 2017–2021
Published in Clinical Toxicology, 2023
Varun Vohra, Karima Lelak, Mark I. Neuman, Michael S. Toce, Liying Zhang, Steven J. Korzeniewski, Samantha Bauer, Robert D. Welch, Usha Sethuraman
Highlighting the risks associated with hand sanitizer ingestion may promote more appropriate use and risk-reducing behaviors, thereby preventing and/or mitigating severe outcomes. It is prudent for health care providers and public health officials to inform parents and caregivers about the potential dangers of both alcohol- and methanol-containing hand sanitizers. Further, since the majority of hand sanitizer cases involved younger children, alcohol-based hand sanitizer packaging modification may warrant special consideration, including implementation of child-resistant packaging which has demonstrated significant reductions in morbidity and mortality related to medications and common household products [14]. The decision to implement child-resistant packaging, however, would need to be balanced by the relatively low rates of harm associated with alcohol-based hand sanitizer exposures based on our study findings.
Rethinking risk communication in the hospital: infection prevention, risk perceptions, and lived experience
Published in Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 2022
Gabriela Capurro, Nisha Thampi
The abundance of hand sanitizer dispensers suggests that hands are particularly risky; and if not cleaned frequently, they are presumed filthy and carrying germs. Despite this, doctors and nurses comply with hand hygiene to various degrees, not always sharing similar levels of haptic anxiety. This is expressed in the following field note: Based on the number of wall Purell dispensers and signs telling to clean hands, you’d think that every surface in the ward is contaminated (…) However, no one seems terribly concerned (…) [the risk messages have] become part of the background and the risk is diffused. (Week 10, Day 3)While this behaviour could seem contradictory and even defiant of the abundant risk messages in the wards and protocols they have to adhere to, it suggests that doctors and nurses perform their own risk assessments for which they draw on both biomedical and experiential knowledge. This negotiated risk behaviour leads to various levels of compliance with IPAC protocols and sometimes to taking extra prevention measures not outlined in the protocols.
Incarceration during a pandemic: A catalyst for extending the conceptual terrain of occupational deprivation
Published in Journal of Occupational Science, 2022
Elizabeth M. Phelps, Rebecca M. Aldrich
In situations of insufficient access to running water and soap, many public health agencies recommended the use of hand sanitizers with 60% alcohol content as a suitable alternative (CDC, 2021a). However, hand sanitizer is typically classified as a contraband substance in carceral settings due to its high alcohol content and potential for ingestion, and most U.S. state prisons maintained hand sanitizer restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic (Novisky et al., 2020) despite incarcerated individuals’ insufficient access to handwashing. Likewise, access to cleaning products became so limited during the COVID-19 pandemic (Novisky et al., 2021) that incarcerated individuals sometimes garnered them by bartering with food (Griesbach & Turcotte, 2021) or performing extra work tasks (Haines & Weill-Greenberg, 2020). These examples further illustrate how conditions prevented incarcerated individuals from engaging hygienically—or, sometimes, at all—in occupations that public health agencies recommended as essential for protecting against COVID-19.