The National Pandemic Committee said this afternoon that it had never issued instructions for hands to be washed every 10 minutes and asked for a union directive instructing immigration officers to do so to be withdrawn.

The Union Ħaddiema Maghqudin directed immigration officers at Malta International Airport yesterday to start washing their hands every 10 minutes.

The committee said it had repeatedly directed the public to observe basic hygiene requirements and resort to frequent hand washing with soap and water.

But it never laid down any time frames for doing so. Indeed, there was no scientific basis for establishing a time interval between hand-washing.

In the case of the immigration officers, it said, the management had sought advice as to the proper safeguards that were to apply.

The Health Authorities replied that, where facilities were available, normal hand washing with soap and water was sufficient. Where such facilities did not exist, hand rubs could be resorted to.

In this case, washing facilities were some 20-25 metres from the immigration booths, therefore readily accessible. Moreover, there had never been any limitation imposed on any of the officers concerned on the use of such facilities.