What reason would people be against hand sanitiser?

[ImbarbaraB]

I’ve noticed now that there’s a parent of a child in my sons nursery who doesn’t let the teacher use sanitiser.

I also have another friend who refuses to use it when going into shops and won’t let her child wear it.

Does anyone know why you wouldn’t use it?

I barely use it (handful of times since March 2020) as it’s pretty ineffective in preventing transmission and doesn’t smell nice.
I just wash my hands when I get home.

I am prone to eczema on my hands, particularly in winter, so that is partly why. But I also think it is mostly a performative thing and washing with soap and water alongside avoiding touching our faces is far more effective. And that it mainly kills bacteria, some of which is useful. And that it strips the natural oils from our skin. I also dislike being treated like a walking infection. I wouldn't go so far as to ban my dc from using it at school, but I only use it if pressed and then I do it whilst inwardly rolling my eyes.

Myself and my family don’t use it much because of the effect on our immune system. The antibacterial chemicals don’t target just the bad bacteria. It eradicates all bacteria including the very beneficial ones that live ON your skin and help protect it. That is also part of your immune system.

We’re all going to end up with shit immune systems because of antibacterial everything. I weep for nature because of the massive amounts of antibacterial agents being released into the water. It’s ecocide. Just wash your hands thoroughly.

The environmental cost of masses of plastic bottles, worldwide?

@bumblingbovine49

Antibacterial ones are contributing to complete antibiotic resistance which will make Covid look like a walk In the park

They, along with the constant washing triggered eczema on my hands in the spring 2020 and I'm still having trouble controlling the subsequent flare ups

Umm... The WHO advocates hand sanitising to help prevent antibiotic resistance, so... www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/antimicrobial-resistance/news/news/2017/05/hand-hygiene-a-key-defence-in-europes-fight-against-antibiotic-resistance

I have contact dermatitis on my hands so I understand why some people would minimise their use of hand san but I can manage mine with good quality hand cream as it's fairly mild. I do still use the sanitiser though as airborne also means droplets and hand san is an easy extra step to take for me with it not really causing me any problems.

I don't use it at all either. Horrible stuff and no substitute for giving your hands a wash.

My oldest DD’s hands were bleeding after a week of the school sanitiser. One wound got infected and she ended up on antibiotics.
I now send emollient hand wash into school with her. I was told I couldn’t, so I said I’d have to take her out of school in that case. We then agreed that I could in fact send it in with her.
I wash my hands with soap and water.

It damages the skin’s microbiome. Overly cleaning in childhood has been linked to autoimmune disease. It’s virtually pointless when it comes to covid and it’s less effective than hand washing.

I also take the point about plastic use but then the massive refillable communal bottles are potentially a lot better than everyone having a little pocket-sized one?

It’s horrific for the skin, especially those prone to eczema or even just dry skin. If applied to already irritated, broken or inflamed skin it stings like hell. I don’t use it as I have stubborn pustular eczema on my fingers which has flared up terribly during the pandemic simply with regular hand washing. Adding hand sanitiser to the mix I probably wouldn’t be able to use my hands at all! It’s a real problem.

I can't tolerate the smell and texture of it - I have sensory issues and it makes me retch. I have my own bottle of one that I'm ok with if I have to use it, but mostly I just avoid using it and wash my hands well whenever I can.

I have used it but at one point my hands and fingers were so cracked and sore, I stopped. Went into a furniture store and after about 30 secs a woman appeared behind me and asked me if I sanitised on arrival. When I politely said no she held the bottle out to me so I said, again politely, 'I'm ok thank you.' Apparently it was policy and I am not allowed to wander around without it as my hands may transmit an airborne virus. I told her it was ok and I would leave and she shrugged! I was actually looking to spend about £1000 on something and was astonished a sale came below sanitiser in priority.

@Heyha the WHO advice is for health care workers when in contact with patients and is not meant for the general public to follow.

There's very little evidence covid is transferred by fomites. At the start at the pandemic it wasn't clear, but at this stage we know it's an airborne infection. I've not seen any evidence hand sanitizer has any effect on spread. It's a bit like washing shopping or closing playgrounds, or not letting people sit on benches. There's little evidence that these are routes of infection, so I don't see the point. (Plus the related point that if Covid was transferred by fomites, the best course of action would not to touch anything, particularly not hand sanitizer bottles that other people have touched.

I suppose an argument could be made that hand sanitizer reduces the transmission of infections like norovirus which do linger on surfaces, and so reduce overall pressure on medical facilities. But the trouble is norovirus is so persistent that a splash of hand sanitizer won't do much.

Soap and water is far better at killing bacteria and viruses on your hands, hand sanitizer should only be used when there is no alternative.

Ds and I have very sensitive skin and it causes almost chemical burns on our hands so we never use it. Just wash hands regularly with delicate skin stuff and slather on hand cream afterwards.

Allergies etc. My sons teacher stopped using it on him because his hands were so dry from it. Also most are anti bacterial and don't offer much protection against covid. I have stopped using it as much on my kids because I noticed my eldest was getting a bit obsessed

I don't use it at all, too drying. I'd only use it if there was no choice and I had to to see a dentist, doctor, etc.

Lots if reasons

Allergies
Sensitive skin/eczema
Some are sticky
The smell may really bother the child
And the fact we need germs to build up immunity to things. Look at new Zealand now who apper to be getting children admitted alot with stuff that's not covid now because of the lack.of exposure.

My DD has a skin allergy, there are times when her skin is red raw. When she's out she does her best not to touch handles, not touch items unless there's a strong possibility she will purchase. Doesn't use cash, so she does her best still to protect everyone and herself.

There’s been a huge increase in contact dermatitis due to increase in washing hands and hand sanitizer. I got it for the first time a year ago. It is like an allergic reaction if I get any soap on my hand or sanitizer. I have to use special products. I’ve also had to use steroids to keep mine under control. There is a balance as to how much you wash your hands etc with dermatitis as if you do it too much you end up with cracked bleeding hands which let infection in which isn’t hygienic either. I’m careful with hand hygiene after going to the toilet etc but have to consciously limit how often I wash my hands whereas before I would have done it all the time.

Once you have dermatitis it is generally a chronic condition and needs constant management if it’s bad.

I don't use it. I just wash my hands after using the toilet and before eating. All this sanitising is overkill.

I'm another who gets contact dermatitis from hand sanitiser. I've never had any pushback when I've declined to use it ("I can't, I'm allergic") and offered to wash my hands with soap and water instead if facilities could be provided.

I'm not against it in theory. Excellent idea. I used it regularly in the first lockdown. Then my hands got quite dry & itchy. And I got a weird itchy rash on my hand. It was ringworm, picked up some random place. Never had it before but of course my hands were horrendously dry. I went to the pharmacy, got some antifungal cream for it, it turned out I'm allergic to the antifungal cream. And also allergic to one of the ingredients that is commonly used in hand sanitiser gels. It took about 7 months before my hands were reasonably ok again & not bleeding daily. TBH I'm still using steroid cream from my dermatologist as it's not fully under control.

I just wash them now. Regularly. I carry a little bottle of liquid soap in my bag in case public loos have run out, & that's fine for me as I'm not allergic to it.

According to someone at our school gate, it seeps into your body and changes your DNA so perhaps they heard that gem of a Facebook conspiracy theory!