Asked by: Paul Beresford (Conservative - Mole Valley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Government has made, ahead of schools returning in September 2020, of the (a) effectiveness and (b) safety of the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government has been clear that all pupils, in all year groups, should return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term and on 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
The guidance sets out a system of controls which provide a framework for school leaders to put in place proportionate protective measures to minimise the risks of COVID-19 transmission, including cleaning hands thoroughly more often than usual.
COVID-19 is an easy virus to kill when it is on skin. This can be done with soap and running water or hand sanitiser. Schools must ensure that pupils clean their hands regularly, including when they arrive at school, when they return from breaks, when they change rooms and before and after eating.
Schools have been advised to consider whether they have enough hand washing or hand sanitiser ‘stations’ available so that all pupils and staff can clean their hands regularly. Schools have also been asked to supervise hand sanitiser use given risks around ingestion. Small children and pupils with complex needs should be helped to clean their hands properly. Skin friendly cleaning wipes can also be used as an alternative where required.