COVID-19: How To Detect Fake Hand Sanitisers – SON Reveals

Nigerians have been warned by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, against the use of non-alcoholic hand sanitizers.

The SON in a statement by its acting State Coordinator in Plateau State, James Yakzam, on Friday, 15th May noted that there were fake products of the hand sanitizers been sold in the market for use as a protective measure against the Coronavirus pandemic.

Yakzam, however, advised Nigerians to avoid the purchase of the substandard hand sanitisers, explaining that the original product contains alcohol which can be easily perceived by the user.

Speaking in Jos today, Yakzam said, “Hand sanitisers are supposed to be alcohol based. But SON observed that some products in the market are void of alcohol and as such lacks the efficacy to kill germs or sanitiser the hands.

“They were concocted with all sorts of materials that could be detrimental to the end user. There is a specified standard for alcohol-based hand sanitiser.”

SON further advised citizens to who wished to go into the production of the hand sanitizers to visit their offices for proper guidelines for production and for the purchase of required alcohol.

The organisation noted that it will go round to visit stores and ensure they seize any of the substandard hand sanitisers that do not meet the specified requirement.

Yakzam said, “I want to advise the general public to stop purchasing manufactured products without SON’s certification,’’

He, however, vowed that anyone caught distributing the substandard sanitisers will be arrested and prosecuted.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has said the difficulty in getting a flight from Guinea-Bissau was the reason Nigeria is yet to get the Madagascan Coronavirus cure.