Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called on the HSE to issue urgent medical advice after a hand sanitiser product used in schools was recalled due to a potential public health risk.
Deputy Shortall, who is the party’s spokesperson for Health, said:
“The priority at this point has to be to get the medical advice out to the public. There are parents around the country who will be concerned about different symptoms their children may have and whether they could be related to the use of the ViraPro hand sanitiser brand.
“We also need an absolute assurance from the HSE that it has been withdrawn from all outlets and an alternative safe product has been sourced and can be made immediately available.
“It is obviously a matter of serious concern that it has been used in schools but is it being used elsewhere – in nursing homes, for instance – and is it still available for sale?
“It’s understood that problems with this product first came to light on Tuesday so there are questions to be asked about the delay in communicating this to schools. Why was it the case that principals were only hearing about this very late last night and had to make on the spot decisions about closing schools?
“The Minister for Education should make herself available and explain the sequence of events.”
October 23, 2020