Described are methods and apparatus for promoting and attaining effective
hand hygiene based on the employment of a class of packaging which provides timely
access to and convenient use of hand sanitizing fluids for hand rubbing. A specific
and novel type of package representative of this class found to be particularly
useful in facilitating this method is a small, flat, disposable, twin chambered,
multi-dose, self-sealing polymer packet designed to be pocket carried by the user.
Through simple and direct finger manipulation a measured dose of hand sanitizing
fluid is drawn on to the hand in a controlled and wasteless manner from a metering
chamber opened for dispersal through a tear in the packet wall. The self-sealing
packet reserves and preserves the remaining fluid for future uses and permits the
packet to be immediately returned to a pocket without any closure manipulation.
Rubbing the hands to distribute the fluid achieves an effective degree of hand
sanitation by substantially reducing the presence of hand-borne pathogens. Distribution
of the packets is encouraged by the use of lottery and gaming techniques that heighten
the opportunity of using a hand sanitizing fluid for proper hand hygiene.