An unprecedented increase in burn injuries due to alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, protective measures including alcohol-based hand rub, received unexampled popularity in Iran. Alcohol hand rub is effective, inexpensive and simple to use, but it is a flammable liquid, which might cause burn injuries. In this study, we investigated burn injuries due to alcohol hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 disease outbreak in Iran. This cross-sectional study was performed on burn patients referred to Motahari Burns and Reconstruction Center from February 20th, 2020 (official announcement of the epidemic of COVID-19 in Iran) up to April 19th, 2020. All outpatients and hospitalized burn injuries caused by alcohol during the abovementioned period were included. There were 76 burn injuries due to the use of alcohol hand sanitizer. Sixty patients were treated outpatient, and 16 were hospitalized. The mean ± SD age of patients was 33.2±17.9 years and most were males (57 individuals, 75%). Also, the mean ± SD of TBSA was 6.1±6.5%. In hospitalized ones, the mean ± SD hospital stay was 11.7±8.6 days. The most burnt area was the head (39.5%) followed by the right upper limb (35.5%) and the left upper limb (23.7%). Patients were actively engaged in burn injury in 61.8% of cases, while they were passively burnt in 34.2% of cases and in 3.9% the mechanism was unknown. Burn injuries mostly happened in the yard (22.4%) followed by the rooftop (21.1%) and outdoors (18.4%). Appropriate general education, especially through mass media, can reduce burns caused by alcohol-based sanitation during the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of these burn injuries involved face and hands, which are cosmetically and functionally important.