Hardly anyone learns to have missed the recommendations to wash their hands to reduce the spread of the new corona virus.

But in Norway, the Psoriasis and Eczema Association has responded that children wash their hands so often and for a long time that they get wounds and eczema.

Together with the Norwegian Association for General Medicine, they have raised the issue with FHI, the Institute of Public Health, which has now decided to change the recommendations, reports Aftenposten.

Risk of skin infections

- In the worst case scenario, there is the risk of eczema flaring up on the hands of children during the pandemic. Hand eczema is not only painful, it also increases the risk of infection, says Mari Øvergaard, secretary general of the psoriasis and eczema association at Aftenposten.

Hand spirit can be used instead of soap as long as the hands are not visibly dirty, the new advice to the Norwegians, says. Hand spirit can be more gentle on the skin than soap. Furthermore, they clarify that you do not need to use both soap and hand spirit.

FHI also recommends that washing with soap should be done after toilet visits and breaks, and when students come to school in the morning.

Perfume-free soap

The Psoriasis and Eczema Association has also sent recommendations to the country's municipalities that perfume-free soap should be used in schools.

- We have received feedback that children and young people have had problems with dry hands now that there is so much focus on hand hygiene. It is important that children, students and school employees continue to have clean hands, says Line Vold, Head of Department at FHI, to Aftenposten.