Study: Hand Sanitizer and Absentee Rates

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Adding hand sanitizer dispensers to classrooms didn’t appear to drop absentee rates for elementary school children, according to a new study.

Researchers in New Zealand recruited about 70 primary schools assigning half to a control group in which children washed their hands with soap and water.

The other students were part of an intervention group that not only used soap to wash, but were also asked to use classroom hand sanitizers when they coughed, sneezed, and before meals.

Children in both groups were given a half hour hand hygiene lesson.

After following students for 20 weeks, researchers found that the absentee rates between the two groups were virtually the same.

The study results support similar finding from previous studies.

So what is the take away for schools and parents?

The CDC says it’s best to have children wash their hands with soap and water, but if that is not available, a hand sanitizer with an alcohol concentration of at least 60 percent is a good second choice.