Tuesday 8 March 2011

Time for Change

As an active biocide, alcohol has limitations. With frequent use, alcohol-based sanitisers can irritate the skin and damage certain surface materials. In addition, they require special secure storage due to their flammable nature. They also are known to evaporate quickly – possibly before they have finished their intended task. Some epidemiologists allege that the alcohol content of many hand hygiene products dissipates before users can reasonably complete the widely-prescribed Ayliffe Technique for applying the product. Still, alcohol-based hand sanitisers are the only ones made available to the majority of healthcare workers. Does this make sense? – especially considering that non-alcohol based alternatives have been tested, approved and are now available. 

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