Back in MAY I wrote "Liquid Hand Sanitizer" CAN KILL A CHILD!  after reading an article about Liquid Hand Sanitizer.  The article I came across told a terrifying story of a little 4-year-old girl who was rushed to the Emergency Room from school after becoming severely lethargic and incoherent.   After a visit to a 2nd hospital the little girls' teacher showed up to inform the parent that his daughter had "LICKED HER HANDS" after using liquid hand sanitizer.

After posting this I received an email from Lauren Brucker, a public relations agent, who represented Germ-X.  She was very eager to share with me that they had designed a new product that was alcohol free!  Here's her letter:

Susie,

I work for a public relations agency and represent a product called Germ-X (http://www.germx.com). After reading your May 24 post about hand sanitizers, thought I might pass along some news from Germ-X.

As you reported on, hand sanitizers have been a hot topic this year among parents. Reports of children becoming ill from ingesting alcohol-based hand sanitizers emphasize the importance of parental supervision when it comes to children and common household products. Like you mentioned, when used as directed, hand sanitizers are safe and offer vital health benefits.

The germ-busting stuff really is top-of-mind right now … school supply lists from around the country are asking parents to send kids back to school this fall with a bottle of hand sanitizer. And there's^TMs good reason: Studies have shown a decrease in the average sick time of students who use hand sanitizers as a part of their hand hygiene regimen (see: American Journal of Infection Control, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11029132&dopt=Abstract).

To effectively kill 99.99 percent of germs, hand sanitizers like Germ-X and Purell contain 62% ethyl alcohol. In fact, The Centers for Disease Control study shows that in lower percentages of alcohol, hand sanitizers are less effective. (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no03/05-0955.htm)

Next month, Germ-X is introducing an alternative to traditional alcohol-based products. Germ-X® Advanced Protection is a new formula that uses active ingredient benzalkonium chloride (the same stuff found in eyewashes and surface cleaners) to kill 99.99 percent of common germs.

Germ-X Advanced Protection may be of interest to those looking for a substitute to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The foaming hand sanitizer has a light, clean feel and a fresh smell … and, with vitamin E and other moisturizers, it keeps hands soft. 

Thanks for your time.

Lauren Brucker
Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. â€" for Germ-X

You can find this product (right next to the original Germ-X) for the bargain price of $2.87 at Walmart in Brandon.  This is great news for families with young(er) children even though I've never known anyone who had a child remotely interested in licking their hands after using this product.  (the taste is disgusting even by accident)  The reassurance that Germ-X has the consumers' safety in mind is what's important. 

NEWS from 2nd grade teachers at Nelson Elementary School is that ATTENDANCE IS EXCELLENT and they're requesting parents send in more Germ-X to continue this trend!  I'll definitely be sending in a bottle of two!  (My son has perfect attendance and this is the "norm" for us as we're avid users of Germ-X!)