Sep 23, 2019
Vidcast: ttps://youtu.be/r6alvHymzwg
Simply rubbing your hands with Purell™ or knock-offs will not kill the influenza virus. A Japanese study just published by the American Society of Microbiology shows that the mucus that contains the virus protects it from alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
The typical 15-30 second sanitizer rub won’t kill the flu virus, or probably any virus, unless the secretions are dried. The good news is that first washing your hands with an antiseptic soap for 30 seconds will kill virus.
You don’t have antibacterial soap but do have Purell? I suggest quickly washing your hands with any soap to eliminate mucus and then use the hand sanitizer.
Ryohei Hirose, Takaaki Nakaya, Yuji Naito, Tomo Daidoji, Risa Bandou, Ken Inoue, Osamu Dohi, Naohisa Yoshida, Hideyuki Konishi, Yoshito Itoh. Situations Leading to Reduced Effectiveness of Current Hand Hygiene against Infectious Mucus from Influenza Virus-Infected Patients. mSphere, 2019; 4 (5) DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.00474-19
#Influenza #mucus #Purell