Have you ever wondered if your hand sanitiser is really protecting you or just some sort of gel or foam that gives you a sense of security? How do you know it’s doing what you think it supposed to do anyway?
Hand Sanitisers with less than 60% alcohol are NOT effective to kill viruses. Many people are unaware they are using hand sanitiser that is ineffective in preventing transmission of Coronavirus. You NEED to be aware of what you are actually using on your hands right now since hand sanitising is an important step to protect yourself from diseases (keep in mind the flu season is on its way too!)
Not using the adequate hand sanitiser gives you a false sense of security which could make matters worse. It is dangerous as the hand sanitiser may not work anywhere near as well as you would expect. You are putting yourself at risk of infections if your hands aren’t sanitised properly. You touch your eyes, face, or nose with your contaminated hands when you think they are clean.
Using the right hand sanitiser will protect you and your family by preventing contamination of surfaces you touch. Have complete peace of mind knowing that your hands are safe to touch yourself and your loved ones. Remember our blog from 2 weeks ago about a study from New South Wales found that people touch their faces about 23 times an hour. It is important than ever to keep our hands clean.
⚠️Not all hand sanitisers give you the same level of protection❗️
Hand sanitiser has become of the most sought-after products globally and has rapidly been selling out in shops and online for weeks. The concern is that NOT all hand sanitisers have the same level of protection.
Studies have found that only hand sanitisers with 60%-80% of alcohol concentration provide protection against viruses -including the coronavirus! This is the level required to kill virus if it is on your hands. Alcohol-based sanitisers all contain ingredients of Isopropyl alcohol, ethanol or ethyl alcohol, which are the main anti-microbial active ingredients, but they need to be at a certain concentration to be effective against viruses.
“The high-alcohol-based sanitisers are the most effective at killing not only the bacteria but the particular types of virus.” Professor McLachlan said.
Are you using non-alcohol sanitiser?
Low or non-alcohol sanitisers have not been tested with data showing they work against viruses. Non-alcohol hand sanitisers are good for general cleaning and killing common germs on your hands when you are out and about. Sanitisers with less than 60% alcohol content were found to be less effective at killing bacteria and fungi and may only reduce the growth of germ. It might be better than nothing, but it would take longer to work and require a greater volume to achieve the desired outcome.
So, is more alcohol the better?
100% alcohol is not effective because water is necessary to make sanitisers effective. Research has shown 70% content alcohol is way more effective than 100%. This is also important to consider particularly if you are trying to produce your own hand sanitiser
BONUS: Guidelines on how to use hand sanitisers properly are not as readily available as hand washing. Here are 2 quick tips:
1. Dispense enough to be able to spread and rub it over the whole surface area of your palms, back of hand and wrists (usually require one full pump).
The takeaway point here…
Washing your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds remains the gold standard for hand hygiene and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. But there’s no doubt using the adequate hand sanitiser is just as important for now and the future.
✨At The Footwork Clinic, Chatswood and Sydney CBD practice, we are all fully stocked with top-grade hand sanitisers with the minimum of 60% alcohol content for our clients and staff. We have placed them in every area of the clinic, ensuring that our clients and staff get easy access to them to minimise the risk of disease transmission. Our friendly front of staff and practitioners are always happy to show you the proper way to sanitise your hands.
For more great health information or if you’ve got any questions about using the hand sanitiser or any concerns about your foot and leg health –CLICK HERE to for a live chat, we are staying OPEN and are here to help and support the community during this time
✨We’re proud to continue supporting the community and offering great health services during this time with the following:
- Innovative Virtual Foot Health Program to improve your foot health in the comfort of your own home
- Home visits to provide foot care and anything that you may need to maintain your foot health
- Our clinics remain open -we are taking every precaution to ensure that our clinics are as safe as possible for you and our staff. Please CLICK THIS BUTTON to see what we are doing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19
- Providing great health information you can rely on
Check out our last blog here: Are you still touching your face?
Yours in Health,