Hand sanitizers are the most sought-after products for the last two years, for obvious reasons. The Covid-19 outbreak is a wake-up call to investigate our habits to maintain hygiene and to know susceptible we are to a viral or bacterial infection. Washing hands for more than 10 minutes is remains the most effective method against viruses and bacteria. However, in regions with water scarcity, people must choose the second-most effective method, hand sanitizers.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, hand sanitizers gained a new popularity to the extent that medical stores were experiences shortages and the sanitizer manufacturing facilities were operating at their full potential. The fear of Covid-19 infection and heavy marketing of sanitizers made them the highest selling product during the pandemic. According to Allied Market Research, the global long lasting hand sanitizer market is expected to reach $21.7 billion by 2030. The consumer awareness regarding health & wellness, innovations in hand sanitizers, and social media penetration promotes the demand for long lasting hand sanitizers.

However, there are many misconceptions when it comes to hand sanitizers. Some believe that once used, the sanitizer can give protection against viruses and bacteria like a glove or an invisible shield. The emergence of long-lasting hand sanitizers helps cement the belief that hand sanitizers are no short of cure against the Covid-19. There are some cases where people drank hand sanitizers to protect themselves from Covid-19 infection. Here we will try to understand long lasting hand sanitizers and how exactly effective they are against viral infection.

Also read: Hand hygiene: The life saviour for corona virus infection

What is a hand sanitizer?

Before we talk about the effectiveness of hand sanitizers, we need to know what hand sanitizers are made of. A common hand sanitizer contains alcohol bases, gelling agent, and water (to activate the gelling agent). The gelling agent gives the sanitizer the thickness but the alcohol does all the work. When applied to the hand, alcohol sanitizes the hand by killing the microorganisms existing on the hand.

Believe it or not, it is possible to make hand sanitizer at home by using aloe vera as a gelling agent and isopropyl alcohol instead of grain alcohol. To make hand sanitizer, the concentration of alcohol must be above 60%. There are believes that you can turn vodka into a hand sanitizer, which is completely untrue. Vodka contains 40% alcohol and 60% water, which is ineffective against microorganisms.

If it is only about alcohol, can hand sanitizer expire?

Most of the purchased hand sanitizers have an expiration data on them but is it commonly far in the future and found to be around three years out. This raises the question whether hand sanitizers have expiration date or the manufacturing companies are legally required to print the expiration date?

The answer is yes, hand sanitizers can expire but it is slightly unusual situation. An five-year old bottle of hand sanitizer that hasn’t been opened, will probably work against microorganisms as alcohol does not go bad in sealed conditions. The most relatable example is wine. You can store it for hundreds of years and it will age amazingly. However, once you open the bottle, the alcohol-eating bacterial come into the picture which define the expiration date of the wine.

In case of hand sanitizers, once the bottle is opened, the alcohol concentration starts to drop as it evaporates quickly into the atmosphere. Once the concentration of the hand sanitizers goes below 60%, it is not useful against microorganisms and therefore hand sanitizers come with a long but specific expiration date.

How effective are long lasting hand sanitizers?

To answer the question of how long a hand sanitizer can last depends on how effective the active ingredients are including isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol. Apart from this, how well you apply the sanitizer also contributes to the effectiveness of the product. Thus, while applying hand sanitizers, you must cover your hands all through the wrist and in between fingers.

However, you must understand that hand sanitizer, even if it is long lasting and effective, cannot be an alternative to washing hand with soaps. Sanitizers can work against bacteria but not food particles. A common hand sanitizer can last up to 2 minutes and it loses its effectiveness when you touch other surfaces. Thus, the demand for long lasting hand sanitizers has increased significantly.

Recently, Fine Hygienic Holding, one of the world’s top manufacturers of hygienic paper products and germ protection solutions launched its new line of germ protection products, which includes a long-lasting hand sanitizer that offers 24-hour protection with only one application. The company states that the hand sanitizer can kill 99.9% of germs including Covid-19 virus. The company also launched disinfectant that offers up to 48 hours of germ protection on all textiles and its laundry disinfectant can provide protection up to 7 days.

Similarly, a biotech startup launched a new long lasting hand sanitizer that offer protection against Covid-19 virus and other microorganisms for more than four hours after application. The sanitizer is called IonLAST and uses a proprietary ionic liquid technology that contains natural materials to improve antiviral protection. The commonly used alcohol-based hand sanitizers fail to give a long-lasting protection but IonLAST is non-alcoholic sanitizer, which therefore that is safe for kids.

The non-alcoholic hand sanitizers are preferred by the people who are worried about alcohol use or who opt to avoid flammable materials in house around kids. These hand sanitizers can alleviate several issues of alcohol-based sanitizers such as drying of skin. The alcohol free sanitizers use other chemicals such as Benzalkonium Chloride that quite safe for topical use and is long lasting.

However, you must remember that the moment you are done using sanitizer, your hands are exposed to all kinds of microorganisms. Thus, after application of hand sanitizer, of you touch any other uncleaned surfaces such as doorknob or mobile phone, you are letting germs come in contact with you. At this moment, hand sanitizer cannot protect you as there is no residue of hand sanitizer left on your hand. However, you can use hand sanitizer in-between steps.

In a simpler term, long lasting hand sanitizers work well to remove germs on your hands but it fails to prevent you from getting contaminated. With that in mind, use both hand sanitizer and handwashing method to maintain your hygiene. As they say, prevention is better than cure and the pandemic has taught us this lesson the hard way.

For More Information Click :-https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com

The post Hand sanitizer market expected to reach $27.1 million by 2030 appeared first on Health Vision.

Every year on October 15th Global Hand washing Day is observed to spread awareness about hand hygiene as hands are the most common medium of transferring viruses to our mouth and getting infected. For the year 2020, the theme for Global Handwashing Day is ‘Hand Hygiene for All’ that calls for all of society to achieve universal hand hygiene.

Hand hygiene  the need of the hour:

With the world battling the COVID-19 pandemic, washing hands and maintaining hand hygiene has become the need of the hour and is also one of the cheapest and easiest measure to prevent one from contracting the deadly coronavirus. While the scientists and health experts are still researching for a vaccine, the most important way to avoid getting infected is currently by washing hands regularly.

According to the CDC, washing hands with soap and water whenever possible can prevent 1 in 3 diarrheal illnesses and 1 in 5 respiratory infections, including a cold or the flu. Washing hands clean with soap and water whenever possible also reduces the amounts of all types of germs and chemicals on hands. However, it is strongly recommended to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to help avoid getting sick and restrict the germ spread to others.

Use good alcohol-based sanitizers:

Individuals should choose a sanitizer which has at least 70 per cent alcohol content. This is important because lesser alcohol content sanitizers are ineffective against many pathogens and do not offer complete sanitization of the hands. Currently, some sanitizers are being marketed as ‘alcohol-free sanitizers’ and one should avoid using those as there is not much evidence that suggests if they work at all.

Furthermore, since alcohol acts as a preservative, the alcohol-based sanitizers are less likely to be contaminated as compared to ‘alcohol-free’ sanitizers. The FDA has recommended buyers to purchase hand sanitizers that have 95 per cent ethanol or isopropanol.

Hence, on World Hand Washing Day by following regular hand washing practices and using everything in the right manner and the right place, we can keep ourselves safe and secure.

Dr. Brunda, Consultant
Internal Medicine
Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru

The post Avoid getting infected by washing hands regularly appeared first on Health Vision.

As all of us are aware, the Novel Corona virus, commonly known as COVID-19 as named by the World Health Organization (WHO), has been wreaking havoc on the global economy and has created widespread panic across the world affecting 162 countries. While the panic is for good reason – more than 1,88,356  people being infected and over 7,499 fatalities – it is important to note that prevention is possible. Thus, instead of spreading fear in the form of rumors, the need of the hour is to initiate reasonable conversations around the prevention of this virus.

Health experts, too, have stated that there is no need to panic and people need to know the facts before they succumb to rumors and myths that have been widely circulated on social media platforms such as Whats App, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. In the event of such situations, educating your children is crucial to create awareness among them about the virus and what they should do to protect themselves and stay safe. Here is how you can talk to your children about the virus:

1. Do away with panic

Before speaking to your child, you must first ensure that you do not exhibit fear. Children tend to pick up on what we show them and starting with fear is not a good approach. Do away with all sorts of panic about the virus and clear your mind before speaking to your kids. Children turn to their parents/guardians for support and assurance, and it would be counterproductive if you are panicking or anxious. Managing your own emotions will help you listen to your child and help them understand the facts.

2. Keep it realistic but avoid too much information

It is important to only divulge the necessary amount of information and tell the kids what exactly they need to know. For example, speak to them about what it is, but in easy to understand terms. Then, tell them what they can do to be safe. Giving them too much information might lead to unnecessary confusion. Assure your child that you are available for them anytime and that they can speak to you without hesitation.

3. Put yourself in your kids’ shoes

Trying to understand what your kid knows about the situation and analyzing their feelings will go a long way in having a seamless conversation with them. For those who have teenage kids, ask them what they know and how they feel about it. If you have younger children, try to make them understand the situation and be honest and clear while answering their questions. More importantly, do your research before speaking to your children because if you are unaware of the exact scenario, you will not be able to assure your child or clear their doubts and fears.

4. Ensure they stay safe

The most important thing is to ensure that your children stay safe. Give them a hand sanitizer to carry, tell them to follow basic hygiene practices like regularly washing their hands with soap, covering their mouths and nose while coughing or sneezing and thoroughly cleansing their hands afterward. Also, tell them to maintain sufficient distance from anyone who appears to have a cold or cough.

The adage – prevention is better than cure – was never more relevant than in this ongoing scenario. Creating awareness among your children and reassuring them will go a long way in not only erasing confusion and anxiety but will also help them know the facts and keep themselves safe by following clean habits.

Meenal Arora, Founder Director

Shemford Group of Futuristic Schools, Delhi

The post Educate your children about the corona virus appeared first on Health Vision.