Fighting Germs in Schools Helps Stop the Spread of Illness and Reduce Absenteeism

Good hand hygiene helps keep germs at bay and is a critical part of preventing colds, the flu, and infections from spreading. Most of the country has just come through one of the worst flu seasons in recent history. Schools were hit especially hard and many schools faced days-long closures as they tried to stop the flu from spreading or find enough healthy staff for classrooms.

While handwashing with soap and water remains the gold standard for hand hygiene, it’s not always realistic as students move between classrooms, buildings, busses, and navigate the demands of a busy school day. And, when a student is sent to the restroom to wash their hands, how do we know that they’re washing with soap and water for the prescribed length of time – or if they’re washing at all?

Sanitizers to the rescue! School Health recommends an all-inclusive approach to fighting the spread of germs in your school. A complete solution includes using alcohol-based hand sanitizers and surface disinfectants that are scientifically formulated for no trade-off protection, in addition to handwashing, as an important part of cleanliness and well-being.

PURELL® products are universally recognized and trusted to provide fast and effective protection from germs.¹In one study, schools that combined hand-hygiene education with PURELL products reduced teacher absenteeism by 10 percent.²Student absenteeism was reduced by 51 percent when PURELL hand hygiene products were used in conjunction with a curriculum to teach kids about good hand hygiene.³

Placing the right products in key locations helps teachers and staff remind students to practice good hand hygiene during the day, which helps stop germs and illness from spreading. Hand hygiene is the single most important way to prevent the spread of infection, but it’s just half of the solution. You can significantly improve results when you also prevent recontamination by disinfecting the surfaces people touch.

School Health recommends using a combination of hand sanitizers, surface disinfectants, and wipes. Placing these products in easily accessible, high traffic areas will help to combat germy conditions and keep kids healthy. Some placement suggestions include:

• The entrance to the school


• The entrance to the gym and locker rooms


• Outside of the restroom


• Near the water fountain


• Outside of classrooms, offices, and the teacher’s lounge


• In food preparation areas and cafeterias

To learn more about solutions for a clean and healthy classroom, Request a Consultation with one of our experts. You can even learn how to get FREE dispensers with your purchase!