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Anvisa authorizes the sale of 70% liquid alcohol; take precautions to prevent accidents

The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) authorized the sale of ethyl alcohol at a concentration of 70% in liquid form, in the country.

The measure will be valid for 90 days and aims to expand access to products that contribute to reducing the transmission of Covid-19.

According to Anvisa, Covid-19 has tended to have annual peaks of seasonality in Brazil, unlike other respiratory diseases, such as influenza or the flu, which appear more frequently in the winter months.

The country is facing an increase in the number of cases of the disease caused by the coronavirus. The circulation of the more transmissible Ômicron subvariant BQ.1 may be behind the new wave of infections.

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The Ministry of Health recommends non-pharmacological prevention and control measures, such as physical distancing, respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene, use of masks, cleaning and disinfection of environments, isolation of suspected and confirmed cases, as well as the quarantine of their contacts.

Care with liquid alcohol 70%

The sale of 70% liquid alcohol was prohibited in 2002, due to the large number of accidents. Anvisa reiterates that the product must be handled and used with care and out of reach of children.

Alcohol in this physical form spreads very easily and, if it catches fire, the damage to the skin tends to be great and deep due to its rapid absorption. Burned skin, in general, does not return to normal, causing, in addition to pain, psychological damage.

Anvisa recommends that consumers should give preference to single squeeze spray bottles, from 50 ml to 100 ml.

  • Do not pierce the lid or leave the bottle open to avoid evaporation.
  • The use of liquid alcohol at this concentration must be carried out away from heat sources.
  • Use is only recommended for disinfecting fixed surfaces
  • For the hygiene of the hands of adults and children, washing with soap and water should be prioritized.

The product must be stored away from heat sources, in a clean, fresh place and between 15°C and 30°C. The chosen location should also be sheltered from the sun. And, in all cases, it must be out of the reach of children, due to the risk of ingestion and burns.

“Whoever is going to buy it should always avoid clandestine products, as they have no proof as to their virucidal activity and have not gone through quality control in relation to determining the ethyl alcohol content. It is also essential to read the information on the labels and the registration number with the Ministry of Health and Anvisa, as this ensures that the producer has presented the necessary documents to be sold, unlike clandestine alcohol”, says Leonardo Lopes, responsible for the Sector of Cosmetics and Sanitizers of the Chemistry Department of the National Institute for Quality Control in Health (INCQS/Fiocruz), in a statement.

Source: CNN Brasil

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