As of May 2020, thousands of people worldwide have been infected with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), or Coronavirus for short. The US intelligence community seems to be leaning towards finding that the virus may have accidentally been released from a lab near Wuhan although there are many that feel that it may have made the “jump” from animals to humans in a wet market in the same area. That being said, it’s exact origins are still unknown.
The concern in our area here in Boynton Beach, Lake Worth and Delray Beach is not so much where did COVID-19 come from, but how can we keep it away from our loved ones. The situation is especially serious for seniors who seem to be particularly vulnerable to the virus. Protecting yourself as a senior is extremely important for your health and could even save your life.
Many patients often ask ENT Dr. Joshua Light the following – Does hand alcohol-based sanitizer have the same effect compared to soap and water?
Here, we’ll discuss each of your hand-cleaning options, weighing the pros and cons of each.
Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer vs. Soap and Water
Researchers have actually looked extensively at the relative effectiveness of soap and water vs. hand sanitizer. The study involved introducing E. Coli, a common pathogenic bacteria, onto the hands of participants. Some of the participants then spread sanitizer on their hands and some washed with soap and water.
The results? The alcohol-based hand sanitizer actually performed better, eliminating more of the E. Coli bacteria than washing with soap and water.
Still, there are some ‘pros’ to using old fashioned soap and water. Soap not only kills germs but it binds to them and helps to physically remove them. Hand sanitizer kills germs, but does not always physically remove them…as in the case of ‘grime’. Hand sanitizer has a tough time cleaning up ‘grimy’ hands. Get your hands a little dirty digging in your yard. Now try to clean them with hand sanitizer only vs. soap and water. Try the experiment yourself and you’ll see!
On the ‘con’ sidefor soap and water…researchers note that over 3 billion people around the globe lack access to clean water, so, for them, washing their hands is an impossibility. Fortunately for us in Palm Beach County Florida, most of us have better options. However, sometimes accessing water is likely difficult for you as well — for example, whether you are out and about in your Jaguar on A1A or in your Toyota on SE 1st Street, keeping a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer handy is a good idea.
There is no reason you can’t combine both. When at home or in Dr. Light’s office in Boynton Beach, protect yourself doubly by washing your hands and then following up with a liberal dollop of hand sanitizer. (as long as it is over 65% alcohol – you are ‘good to go’!)
Differences Among Hand Sanitizers
Not all hand sanitizers are created equal. In a study by The National Center for Biotechnology, researchers looked at 4 different sanitizers commonly sold and compared their effectiveness
Sterillium, considered by many to be the gold standard in hand sanitizer, scored the best in the experiment, eliminating nearly all microbes. Using respected, established brands is important to make sure your hand sanitizer is doing the job it was intended to do.
Stay safe during the Coronavirus outbreak by keeping your hands as clean as possible and making a conscious effort to not touch your face. Avoid touching items in public spaces unless absolutely necessary, avoid large public gatherings, and stay on top of your diet and medications to give your immune system the best shot to combat the virus if you are exposed to it.