The hands are the parts of our body that come into the first contact with the things we want to touch, hold, pull, push, and many other functions. Aside from our hands having the most contact with certain objects, our hands have the most contact with people as well through handshakes, pats, and even touching objects where others have also touched.
Hygiene is important whenever touching things you are not too sure of because you can never be too sure of how many disease-carrying germs you touch wherever you go. The use of alcohol vs. hand washing can be quite tricky as both sides have interesting arguments as to which one is more effective.
The application of alcohol is easier than hand washing
The good thing about alcohol is that it is portable and can be brought almost anywhere to be used at almost any time. The convenience of using alcohol has made it more preferable to people on the go and people who are too busy to wash their hands properly. Another good point which makes alcohol quite effective is that it is very portable and can be stashed in your bag, purse, or even your pockets if you want. There are many small-sized packs of alcohol that can be fit in small spaces and can be brought just about anywhere.
Hand sanitizers are useful as well
According to Neha Nanda, "Hand sanitizer can be more portable and accessible when people are on the go, which can increase the number of times they are able to disinfect their hands. This can help reduce the likelihood of transmitting viruses..." Neha Nanda is a medical director of infection prevention as well as antimicrobial stewardship for the well-esteemed Keck Medicine located at the University of Southern California.
Read Also : Warning! Using Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, and Other Household Drugs Make Coronavirus Worse!
A New York-based gastroenterologist, internist, and adjunct professor over at the Tuoro College by the name of Niket Sonpal also expressed his thoughts by saying that "The benefit of hand sanitizer is the ability to combat germs when water and soap are not immediately available." Sonpal then adds that hand sanitizers are a big help in neutralizing microbes, viruses, and even bacteria, but not all of them.
Doctors and medical professionals still prefer soap and water
According to Nanda, the best way to kill viruses is by properly washing your hands with soap and water instead of just using sanitizer. According to Nanda, sanitizers should only be a portable alternative but not the main action taken to oppose the spread of germs.
Read Also : Beware of FAKE SANITIZERS! Dangerous Homemade Spray Sanitizer from Certain 7-Eleven Burns Children
Sonpal stated with confidence, "The consensus between the CDC and medical professionals alike is that the gold standard for maintaining hand hygiene is proper and consistent washing of the hands," which was later followed with an explanation as to why hand washing is more thorough in cleaning germs within the small parts of your skin. Alcohol can be seen as a great way to kill germs, but it is still not as thorough as hand washing thoroughly with soap.
