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Industry Information Regarding Hand Hygiene Best Practices and Hand Sanitizers


Detroit Comerica Park Implements Hand Hygiene Program; MGS Soapopular Powers Clean Media SaniPost Hand Sanitizing Kiosks

H.E.B. Stores Introduces Soapopular Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizers to Texans

While considered an OTC drug in accordance with monographs used by the US FDA to regulate manufacturers' marketing and advertising of certain health care-related products, FDA guidelines preclude us from displaying any specific virus-kill claims, but the FDA does allow us to state that Soapopular is effective against a broad spectrum of commonly transmitted germs and viruses.

Germ kill has been demonstrated in laboratory tests of common bacteria, viruses and fungi. The FDA does not currently allow makers of instant hand sanitizers to make claims against specific types of pathogens due to FDA concern that consumers will presume that the particular illness caused by these germs will be completely prevented through use of the product. Because germs can be spread in a number of ways, no maker of these products can provide complete guarantees.

That said, we maintain that proper hand hygiene is one of the most important tools to prevent the spread of illness. This is why the CDC and various other organizations recommend hand-washing or use of appropriate hand sanitizer, when soap and water are not available.

For those seeking more specific information, please contact us.

Facts About Swine Flu

What is 2009 H1N1 (swine flu)?

2009 H1N1 (sometimes called “swine flu”) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) signaled that a pandemic of 2009 H1N1 flu was underway.

Why is 2009 H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?

This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs (swine) in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and bird (avian) genes and human genes. Scientists call this a "quadruple reassortant" virus.

Is 2009 H1N1 virus contagious?

The 2009 H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human.

How does 2009 H1N1 virus spread?

Spread of 2009 H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object – with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Can I get 2009 H1N1 more than once?

Getting infected with any influenza virus, including 2009 H1N1, should cause your body to develop immune resistance to that virus so it’s not likely that a person would be infected with the identical influenza virus more than once. (However, people with weakened immune systems might not develop full immunity after infection and might be more likely to get infected with the same influenza virus more than once.) However, it’s also possible that a person could have a positive test result for flu infection more than once in an influenza season. This can occur for two reasons:

A person may be infected with different influenza viruses (for example, the first time with 2009 H1N1 and the second time with a regular seasonal flu virus. Most rapid tests cannot distinguish which influenza virus is responsible for the illness. And,

Influenza tests can occasionally give false positive and false negative results so it’s possible that one of the test results were incorrect. This is more likely to happen when the diagnosis is made with the rapid flu tests. More information about flu diagnosis is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/diagnosis/.

What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?

The symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, including 2009 H1N1 and have respiratory symptoms without a fever. Severe illnesses and deaths have occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

How severe is illness associated with 2009 H1N1 flu virus?

Illness with 2009 H1N1 virus has ranged from mild to severe. While most people who have been sick have recovered without needing medical treatment, hospitalizations and deaths from infection with this virus have occurred.

In seasonal flu, certain people are at “high risk” of serious complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions. About 70 percent of people who have been hospitalized with this 2009 H1N1 virus have had one or more medical conditions previously recognized as placing people at “high risk” of serious seasonal flu-related complications. This includes pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease.

Young children are also at high risk of serious complications from 2009 H1N1, just as they are from seasonal flu. And while people 65 and older are the least likely to be infected with 2009 H1N1 flu, if they get sick, they are also at “high risk” of developing serious complications from their illness. See People at High Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications for more information about who is more likely to get flu complications that result in being hospitalized and occasionally result in death.

CDC laboratory studies have shown that no children and very few adults younger than 60 years old have existing antibody to 2009 H1N1 flu virus; however, about one-third of adults older than 60 may have antibodies against this virus. It is unknown how much, if any, protection may be afforded against 2009 H1N1 flu by any existing antibody.

How does 2009 H1N1 flu compare to seasonal flu in terms of its severity and infection rates?

With seasonal flu, we know that seasons vary in terms of timing, duration and severity. Seasonal influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Each year, in the United States, on average 36,000 people die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes. Of those hospitalized, 20,000 are children younger than 5 years old. Over 90% of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalization occur in people older than 65.

When the 2009 H1N1 outbreak was first detected in mid-April 2009, CDC began working with states to collect, compile and analyze information regarding the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak, including the numbers of confirmed and probable cases and the ages of these people. The information analyzed by CDC supports the conclusion that 2009 H1N1 flu has caused greater disease burden in people younger than 25 years of age than older people. At this time, there are relatively fewer cases and deaths reported in people 65 years and older, which is unusual when compared with seasonal flu. However, pregnancy and other previously recognized high risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this 2009 H1N1. These underlying conditions include asthma, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, heart disease, kidney disease, neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders and pregnancy.

How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?

People infected with seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu shed virus and may be able to infect others from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. This can be longer in some people, especially children and people with weakened immune systems and in people infected with the new H1N1 virus.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

This season, there is a seasonal flu vaccine to protect against seasonal flu viruses and a 2009 H1N1 vaccine to protect against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (sometimes called “swine flu”). A flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu infection. For information about the 2009 H1N1 vaccines, visit H1N1 Flu Vaccination Resources. For information about seasonal influenza vaccines, visit Preventing Seasonal Flu With Vaccination.

There are also everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like the flu. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an appropriate hand sanitizer

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)

Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

Other important actions that you can take are:

Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, appropriate hand sanitizer (for when soap and water are not available), tissues and other related items could help you to avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?

If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

If I have a family member at home who is sick with 2009 H1N1 flu, should I go to work?

Employees who are well but who have an ill family member at home with 2009 H1N1 flu can go to work as usual. These employees should monitor their health every day, and take everyday precautions including covering their coughs and sneezes and washing their hands often with soap and water, especially after they cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, they should use an appropriate hand sanitizer. The CDC has stated that for those not able to, or prohibited from using alcohol sanitizers, non-alcohol hand sanitizers are [equally] useful. If they become ill, they should notify their supervisor and stay home. Employees who have an underlying medical condition or who are pregnant should call their health care provider for advice, because they might need to receive influenza antiviral drugs.

For more information please see General Business and Workplace Guidance for the Prevention of Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Flu in Workers.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. CDC recommends that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, appropriate hand sanitizers may be used.*

What should I do if I get sick?

For information about what to do if you get sick with flu-like symptoms this season, see What To Do If You Get Sick: 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu. A downloadable flyer containing this information also is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/2009-10/pdf/what_to_do_if_you_get_sick.pdf.

What are “emergency warning signs” that should signal anyone to seek medical care urgently?

In children:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing

Bluish skin color

Not drinking enough fluids

Not waking up or not interacting

Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Fever with a rash

In adults:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

Sudden dizziness

Confusion

Severe or persistent vomiting

Helpful links & resources: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

Haiti Relief Effort: Hand Sanitizer Advisory; An Important Message from MGS Brands, Inc.

There are literally thousands of Haiti-related relief solicitations for medical supplies, including, and in particular, hand sanitizer products. At first glance, the uninformed would be inspired to reach out and lend a hand accordingly. After all, introducing hand hygiene safety measures is part and parcel to mitigating the spread of illness in disaster areas.

What the vast majority fail to appreciate, including those that are soliciting those specific products, is that most hand sanitizer products are alcohol-based (Purell, GermX, etc.), and the makers of those products specifically caution that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are ineffective when applying to hands that might be soiled or dirty. As a result, the manufacturers pointedly instruct to "wash hands before applying".

Don't take our word for it; simply visit the manufacturer websites and review their "FAQ" section.

Equally important, it's a scientific fact that alcohol-based hand sanitizers cause the skin to become dry and irritated; any infection control expert will acknowledge this is a "feature" that necessarily increases the risk of exposure to easily-transmitted pathogens (bacteria, virus, germs)

It would be truly amazing if anyone could find a single individual in Haiti right now whose hands are not dirty/soiled, or who have the luxury of being able to wash with soap and water prior to applying alcohol-based sanitizers. Consequently, its [almost] unbelievable that seemingly educated people are blindly subscribing to the solicitations for hand sanitizers without realizing that sending alcohol-based hand sanitizers to disaster-stricken people is not only a complete waste of resources, but could theoretically incite the spread of illness in this area.

Exactly why alcohol-free, rinse-free hand sanitizer products are endorsed by a continuously-growing number of health care and emergency care experts. The majority of these products are water-based, and most utilize the organic compound benzalkonium chloride-an FDA-recognized antibacterial/antiseptic that can be found in tens of dozens of consumer health care products.

Soapopular and Hy5 are necessarily proven to be effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens, and because Soapopular and Hy5 are water-based, the water cuts through the dirt, while the active ingredient works to eradicate the pathogens and protect the skin from bacteria and germs.

Unlike alcohol, these products can be applied to cuts/abrasions without causing a painful reaction, and without causing risk of infection.

We're Joining Hands to Lend a Hand..

In addition to our own corporate donations, MGS Brands is working hand in hand with those that are focused on sending medical supplies that can prove immediately useful to those that have been impacted by this disaster.

While our own resources limit the amount of company donations that we can personally provide to the relief effort, we are making our inventory available at our cost-to-manufacture basis for those that would like to join hands in this effort.

MGS Brands will facilitate shipping product at no cost via UPS, and/or delivery to designated Red Cross relief centers that are administering daily air cargo shipments directly to Haiti.

For additional information on how you can procure and deliver small and/or large shipments of Soapopular alcohol-free, rinse-free hand sanitizer products for the Haiti relief effort, please call our corporate office at 877-495-5678.

Or lend a hand by donating directly to Unicef to help the children of Haiti. The life you save today can be the one that saves your child's life tomorrow.

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