Schools which use ViraPro hand sanitiser have been told they have the option of closing today (Friday 23 October), after the product was recalled to possible health concerns.
The Department of Education is telling all schools to check whether they have used this hand sanitiser and if they have stocks of this product. If so, they must stop using it.
Schools that are impacted can choose to close for the day, or close early if they think it is necessary to do so.
Affected schools are also being asked to make local arrangements to purchase stocks of hand sanitiser and to “maximise the use of hand washing”.
“If a school is having difficulty sourcing replacement hand sanitiser, they should contact the department on the Covid-19 helpline and email address supplied to schools,” said the Department of Education.
The hand sanitiser was found to contain methanol instead of ethanol – which can cause dermatitis, eye irritation, upper respiratory system irritation and headaches.
The Department says additional funding will be provided to schools to enable them to purchase the necessary supplies from an alternative supplier.
