The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Education (DOE) imploring them to protect Americans, especially our children, from the dangers of toxic hand sanitizers.
As America begins to reopen, in-person activities will quickly become the norm again; we must remain diligent with our hand hygiene for the safety and health of all Americans. Fortunately, hand sanitizer has become more widely used in the wake of COVID-19; unfortunately, there are many hand sanitizers containing methanol, benzene, and other toxic chemicals flooding the market.
With our children heading back to school soon, it is critical that the CDC and DOE take measures now to ensure only safe, effective, FDA-approved hand sanitizers are provided to students in the fall.
The letter states:
“Schools should be a well-protected haven for children, and parents should not have to worry about the products their children come into contact with. Black parents already have enough on their shoulders - toxic hand sanitizers should not be one of them. … Hope is being restored, but the fight is not over. Now it is time to give our country’s children and parents the reassurance they deserve, that schools will be well-prepared to safely welcome students back in the fall.”
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About the Black Women's Health Imperative:
Established originally as the National Black Women's Health Project in 1983, the BWHI is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and wellness of our nation's 21 million Black women and girls – physically, emotionally and financially. Our core mission is advancing health equity and social justice for Black women, across the lifespan, through policy, advocacy, education, research, and leadership development.
Media Contact:
Priscilla Clarke
Black Women’s Health Imperative
priscilla@clarkepr.com
(202) 723-2200
John Burns
Black Women’s Health Imperative
john@theburnsbrothers.com
(202) 922-7088