Update: Follow-up study showing post-pandemic decline in hand sanitiser use, New Zealand, December 2009

This study aimed to measure rates of hand sanitiser use in a hospital entrance foyer four months after a baseline study during New Zealand’s influenza pandemic. Of the 743 people observed over one (summer) day in December 2009, 8.2% used the hand sanitiser, which was significantly lower (p<0.0001) than the 18.0% reported in the August (winter) study. Health authorities may need to intensify promotion of hand hygiene to reduce the impact of future influenza pandemic waves. Euro Surveill. 2010;15(3). pii: 19466.