School hand sanitiser concerns raised in local man's letter to Minister in August

An Athlone businessman working in disinfection raised concerns about possible health implications arising from children using certain alcohol-based hand sanitisers in a letter to Education Minister Norma Foley in August.

This morning (Friday) it emerged that an approved alcohol-based sanitiser which had been widely used in schools - ViraPro Hand Sanitiser - has been recalled due to possible adverse health reactions.

The public has been advised to stop using the sanitiser because prolonged use "may cause dermatitis, eye irritation, upper respiratory system irritation and headaches".

Earlier, the Department of Education said that schools using the sanitiser could close today if they chose.

Today the Westmeath Independent contacted Kiltoom resident Ciaran Mannion, of EC Disinfection Systems, and it emerged that he had written to Education Minister Norma Foley on August 24, expressing serious reservations about some hand sanitiser products listed for use in schools.

Mr Mannion pointed out that the Department of Agriculture, which has responsibility for biocides and issued the recall of the ViraPro product, was currently not represented on NPHET (the National Public Health Emergency Team) and he believed this ought to be rectified as soon as possible.

He provided the Westmeath Independent with a requested copy of the letter he sent to Minister Foley in August.

In the letter, Mr Mannion mentioned the detailed guidance list on PPE which had been issued to schools, and said he was concerned about the hand sanitiser supply details.

"Many of the products listed state to keep out of the reach of children, can cause serious eye injury, may affect those with respiratory issues, and may be very flammable or contribute to making other materials flammable," he wrote.

"This is mostly the alcohol-based products. However, some of the non-alcohol-based products have long contact times against enveloped viruses of up to 10 minutes, which is probably not ideal in a school setting.

"The WHO emergency guidance on ‘alcohol use’ has led to many poor products and misinformation... pupils and staff lives are at risk.

"I have two sons who will be working hospital emergency rooms this winter, a daughter teaching PE to 700 boys, and a son doing the Leaving Certificate. I have selfish reasons, too, for being passionate about this," he wrote.

Mr Mannion stated that there were "many excellent solutions for schools" that were outside of the Department of Agriculture's current biocides list.

He referred in particular to one used by the Covid control team at Beaumont Hospital, "which, while highly effective and inexpensive, is not being shared for wider use."

His letter asked Minister Foley to request "efficacy tests from independent labs" for the hand sanitisers that had been recommended, and to make the results available to all schools.

In response, he received an acknowledgement from the Minister's office, in late September, stating that the contents of his letter "have been noted".

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent today, Mr Mannion acknowledged the pressures facing the Minister as a result of the pandemic, but said he had written the letter in an effort to be constructive and encourage use of non-alcohol-based sanitising solutions in schools.