It's everywhere you look - in homes, schools, shopping malls, in day care centers, in offices.Hand Sanitizer has been ubiquitous for the onset of the novel H1N1 influenza virus. But what is its special powers? Is it really protect against viruses? And what is the best way to use it?
When it comes to selecting a hand sanitizer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend those with alcohol for Protecting Against the H1N1 flu. The optimal proportion is 60 to 95 percent alcohol, according to the CDC chart shows the relative effect of different types of sanitizer.
Dr. Anne Schuch, director of the National Center for Immunization and respiratory diseases, said in a recent briefing that people should wash their hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer to combat influenza.
"We begin to see some reductions in influenza activity, but it's still a lot of flu everywhere," she says
The CDC said that according to some estimates, up to 80 percent of all infections are spread by hand.
If neither soap and water or alcohol-based products are available, however sanitizer that contains no alcohol can be beneficial, said the CDC Web site
Hand sanitizer is effective against both bacteria and virus, health experts say.
The active ingredient of hand sanitizer - usually alcohol - Disrupt the coating of virus and bacteria particles. If damage to the exterior of the particle, the virus disabled, "said Andrew Pekosz, professor of microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The sanitizer is working on the connector, meaning it is only effective for the party in his hand that it touches. This means that if you miss a place between your fingers, it can still be a virus or bacteria in the place, "says Dr. Lisa Bernstein, assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine.
"You must cover the entire surface of hands and let it dry," she said.
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