H E A LT H
IS HAND SANITISER ENOUGH? You seem to be spritzing all the time – at the shops, restaurants, and at home. But is hand sanitiser the best defence against COVID-19?
“
Clean hands, open heart”
mucous membranes [by rubbing
remove actual dirt and debris,”
has become a mantra during
your eyes or nose],” says Christine
says Smedley. “Soap kills germs,
the ongoing coronavirus
Smedley, Infection Prevention and
binds them, and with the water,
pandemic – and rightly so. The
Control Co-ordinator: Mediclinic
helps physically remove them off
question mark, however, is about
SA. Performing hand hygiene
your skin and down the drain.”
the most effective and safest way
reduces the risk.
to clean your hands.
Remember to wash your hands
The Centre for Disease
often with soap and water for at
Control and Prevention (CDC)
least 20 seconds, especially after
hand-sanitising sprays and gels
recommends washing your hands
blowing your nose, coughing, or
and you probably keep a bottle
with soap and water whenever
sneezing. It’s especially important
Although the focus has been on
or two in your car or bag, it’s best to think of these as a portable alternative when you can’t access
possible to reduce germs, droplets and chemicals on your hands. But if soap and
to wash before… • eating or preparing food • touching your face
water are unavailable,
soap and water. Yes,
using a hand sanitiser
… and after
contrary to what you
with at least 70%
• using the bathroom
may think, soap and
alcohol can help you
• leaving a public place
water is the most
avoid getting sick and
• blowing your nose, coughing or
effective way to kill viruses and remove them from your hands. It’s important to understand
spreading germs and
sneezing
viruses to others.
• handling your mask
Alcohol-based hand
• changing a nappy
sanitisers can quickly reduce
• caring for someone sick
that respiratory illnesses, such
the number of microbes on hands
as those caused by the common
in some situations, but they
• touching animals or pets.
cold viruses, SARS-CoV-2,
don’t eliminate all types of germs.
seasonal influenza and respiratory
Also, you might not be using
performed together with observing
syncytial virus (RSV), are spread
enough sanitiser or may wipe it off
social distancing, wearing a mask
via droplets. When someone who
before it’s dried.
and avoiding crowded, poorly
Hand hygiene must be
has the illness coughs or sneezes,
Research shows that, while
this disperses droplets into the air,
hand sanitisers can be effective in
which others then inhale.
a hospital setting where hands are
be stored out of the reach of young
generally clean, they may not be
children and only used with adult
may also occur when respiratory
as effective in other environments
supervision.
secretions that fall onto surfaces
when your hands are visibly
are transmitted by the hands to
dirty or greasy. “Sanitiser doesn’t
“Transmission of viruses
24
SILVER DIGEST // WINTER 2021
ventilated spaces. Remember, hand sanitisers should
This feature first appeared on www. mediclinicinfohub.co.za on 1 June 2021.
