specialists clearly indicate that the use of antibacterial gel is an effective preventive measure. They recommend using antibacterial gel in those cases where soap and water are not accessible.
Washing our hands with antibacterial gel is a matter of prevention.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If you use an alcohol-based antibacterial gel see that it has at least 60 percent alcohol content, since some gels, specially those scented with aromas for aesthetics purpose are not necessarily effective, because they will rarely meet this requirement. Just check the label.
But just using antibacterial gel is not enough.
As if even the most incredulous doubted the recommendations issued by the World Health Organization, some experts on the subject have also issued comments aimed at clarifying the situation regarding hand sanitizing gels.
There is good scientific evidence on the effectiveness of alcohol-based disinfectants in deactivating bacteria and viruses that are commonly transmitted, especially those lipid-covered viruses such as the coronavirus.
How to apply it.
There are people who rub the antibacterial gel until the formula disappears from their hands. Others choose to smear, rub, and dry it with a napkin. Some more choose to use it and then rinse their hands with water.
The last two options do not work.
The recommendation is to apply it on the palm of the hands. Rubbing it will have the function of destroying it on the surface of the skin because the alcohol will act not by rubbing, but because it is in the skin for at least 30 seconds to have a complete effect.
If the antibacterial gel expires, does it lose its effectiveness?
Most of the packages have the expiration date marked. In case you do not have it, specialists suggest keeping it in a cool, dry place and not exposed to light so that the alcohol does not evaporate.
It is also important to avoid contaminating the product, if for example you drop something that contaminates it, then no longer will it be active.
How does the antibacterial gel work on the coronavirus?
Remember that gels do not replace good handwashing with soap and water. While soap physically dismantles the coronavirus outer coat using abrasive force, alcohol changes the coat’s chemical properties, making it less stable and more permeable to the outside world. Alcohol can also penetrate deep into the pathogen, wreaking havoc on the virus’s protein content.
