Jamaican health authorities are warning businesses against spraying customers’ hands with unknown solutions in bottles prior to allowing them to enter their establishments in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Director for the Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services Branch at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr Nicole Dawkins-Wright, said the practice is wrong and may have harmful effects.

She said that persons who appear to be having reactions to chemicals that have been sprayed on their hands have been going to public health centres. She is, therefore, urging business establishments to follow the guidelines issued by the relevant health authorities.

“Provide a safe solution to proper hand hygiene, wall-mounted sanitisers and hand-wash stations. You have little mobile ones that are ready to install with soap and water, which is really the best way and works better than an alcohol-based sanitizer,” she said.

“So organisations are encouraged, if you are seriously concerned, to take this approach rather than having a security officer spraying persons as they come in. The truth is that you may actually be doing more harm than good, both to the person you are spraying and even to the person who is spraying,” Dr Dawkins-Wright warned.

She said that not only are persons unaware of what is contained in the spray bottles, they are also being exposed to it in excessive amounts.