It is important to maintain a proper hygiene and washing hands is the basic. Lifestyle these days has made everyone busy and people hardly find time to go through the basics. While it is important to wash hands to stop the spread of infection, it is also important to use the right method of washing hands. Modern ways include usage of hand sanitizers, but experts have argued that it is better to wash hands under the running water as it is a better way to keep the infection away. A research published in a journal has found that washing hands with water removed flu viruses more quickly than using a hand sanitizer.
Hand sanitizers are made up of alcohol and do work to a certain extent in keeping the hands clean. But when it comes to infection control, washing hands with water is the best method. Maintaining proper hygiene of hands, helps to fight respiratory infections like flu and cold. Such infections can be easily contracted if you touch contaminated surfaces and then touch your mouth or nose. Under such circumstances, the immunity of the body also matters. The research says that usage of hand sanitizers help to remove flu viruses, but it takes way longer than hand wash with water did.
Since the mucus in the mouth and nose have flu viruses, it makes it tough for the alcohol content in the hand sanitizer to penetrate through. But that does not mean that the hand sanitizers are useless . In settings like hospitals, staff and workers need to frequently wash their hands and usage of hand santizers can be easy and quick. It is advisable for situations like before and after touching a patient.
To conclude this, people who need not wash their hands frequently in the day are advised to wash hands with water and soap and hand sanitizers can be used by those who need to do it frequently.
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