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Asking the right questions in hand hygiene

During the pandemic, increased demand for alcohol-based hand rub led to some questionable solutions entering the market. So, what questions should healthcare providers ask suppliers to ensure that their product is suitable and effective for hospital use? Thomas Oh, Mandy Michie, Pearleen Ho and Lars Passvogel provide an insight.

One of the pivotal tools to facilitate good hand hygiene is alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR). The importance of ABHR became apparent when the world experienced a global stock-out situation, driven by high demand during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the supply of ABHR has normalised. However, the increased supply of ABHR raised concerning issues around the risk of some unsuitable products that were found to be contaminated with methanol, insufficient alcohol content and false antimicrobial claims.1-3 The quality of the ABHR, especially for hospital usage, is something that should not be compromised.

This article aims to address this gap in knowledge, by discussing the type of testing that a credible ABHR should undergo to determine its antimicrobial efficacy – this includes in vitro tests against bacteria, yeast, viruses, and the practical tests on the hands of human volunteers. By the end of the article, the reader should have a greater appreciation of the testing that an ABHR should have and, hopefully, that information will facilitate the correct selection of the right product for their hand hygiene endeavor in the respective hospitals. 

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Upcoming Events

Central Sterilising Club - Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Crowne Plaza at Gerrard’s Cross
15th April 2024 – 16th April 2024

DECON UK 2024

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
17th April 2024

Infection Prevention & Control

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
23rd - 24th April 2024

Theatres & Decontamination Conference 2024

Coventry Building Society Arena
16th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Birmingham

Millennium Point, Birmingham
18th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Exeter

University of Exeter
22nd June 2024

Access the latest issue of Clinical Services Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Clinical Services Journal app from your device's App store

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