Hand Sanitizer in a Pandemic: Wrong Formulations in the Wrong Hands

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Toxicology
• Media Studies

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased household production and stockpiling of hand sanitizer.
• This trend poses a heightened risk of unintentional toxicity in children.
• Many individuals rely on streaming media, like YouTube, for DIY hand sanitizer instructions, potentially bypassing official guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of hand sanitizer formulations and safety advice in popular YouTube videos.
• To assess the trend in calls to poison control centers for pediatric hand sanitizer exposure before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To compare the safety information provided in DIY videos with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the top 100 "DIY hand sanitizer" YouTube videos for adherence to WHO production guidelines.
• Review of pediatric hand sanitizer exposure calls to U.S. poison control centers from January 2018 to May 2020.
• Statistical comparison of call volumes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, including March 2020 versus previous years.

Main Results:

• A significant percentage of YouTube videos failed to meet WHO standards for ingredients and safety precautions.
• Many videos included unsafe additives like perfumes and coloring agents, with some specifically targeting children.
• Poison control centers reported a significant increase in calls regarding pediatric hand sanitizer exposure following the onset of COVID-19 in the U.S.

Conclusions:

• YouTube is an unreliable source for DIY hand sanitizer information, often providing inaccurate or unsafe formulations.
• There is a critical need to raise awareness among healthcare providers and parents about the risks associated with DIY hand sanitizers.
• Adherence to official guidelines and increased vigilance are necessary to prevent pediatric poisonings from hand sanitizer exposure.