Substandard sanitisers available in mkt in fight against Covid-19: Research

Researchers discourage the public from buying hand sanitisers from unknown or unreliable e-commerce sites

An international team of researchers has warned the public to beware of sub-standard hand sanitisers readily available on the market in the fight against Covid-19.

They have also provided detailed "recipes" for the manufacture of effective hand sanitising gels and explained the science behind them.

In an article published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, the researchers wrote that there is a real risk that consumers are obtaining and using hand cleaners with low or inadequate concentrations of alcohol.\

These might appear similar to hand disinfectants, but purchasers are often unaware that such products cannot ensure disinfection and are not fit for use amid the pandemic, according to the researchers, including those from the University of Huddersfield in the UK.

They discourage the public from buying hand sanitisers from unknown or unreliable e-commerce sites.

The researchers also state that pharmacists and retailers should advise customers over the selection of appropriate products for Covid-19 infection control.

There should be awareness campaigns, they said, to educate the public on how to differentiate between products that are fit for general hygiene and cleansing and those that are not fit for coronavirus infection control.

The experts also urge regulatory bodies to revisit their current rules on hand sanitisers.

The researchers chart the massive spike in demand for hand sanitisers around the world, as purchasers stocked up their "pandemic pantries".

This led to stocks rapidly vanishing from the shelves, with even hospitals and other healthcare facilities running out, they said.

The researchers also believe that that current awareness of the importance of hand disinfection means it will remain an integral part of people's hygiene routine, even post-Covid-19.

They investigated the scientific basis for hand cleansing and analysed when washing with soap and water -- which can remove virtually all types of pathogens -- is preferable to using alcohol based hand-rubs (ABHR), which are less effective when hands are extremely greasy or dirty.

However, handwashing facilities are not readily available at work or public places, the researchers noted.

They explained that in instances where hand sanitisation is needed more frequently, such as during frequent contact with individuals or products, the ABHRs are the most effective and convenient infection preventive measure.