These Hand Sanitizers Will NOT Keep You Safe from The Coronavirus
These Hand Sanitizers Will NOT Keep You Safe from The Coronavirus
‘Kills 99.99% of germs’ is probably the most beautiful sentence we can read on a product label these days – hand sanitizers in particular. This action, along with washing hands frequently, is the best (and pretty much the only) thing we can do to protect ourselves from the new coronavirus.
BUT – and that’s a big ‘but’ – not all hand sanitizers will do the trick, even those whose label says that they kill almost every germ out there.
Why some hand sanitizers don’t work
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clearly states that only hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol can kill the COVID-19 virus. This measure should only be used when you’re unable to wash your hands properly, CDC says.
In other words, even if an alcohol-free hand sanitizer might keep you safe from 99% of germs, it still can’t fight against the coronavirus.
Then, there’s another category or products: those containing benzalkonium chloride. Such hand sanitizers, produced by Purell and Germ-X, could reduce the growth of most germs out there. They’re better than nothing at all, according to experts, but bottom line they still can’t kill the coronavirus altogether because they lack alcohol.
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Companies may not make things easier either
Recent history taught us that panic buying can lead to regrettable results. Everyone is in a hurry to get whatever they think is useful in those moments – but companies may turn things around to their benefit too.
Take Purell Hand Sanitizing Wipes, for instance. These products used to cost $11.88 on Amazon in January, then jumped to $79.99 on Wednesday and finally reaching a scandalous $199.99 on Wednesday night before selling out.
The front package doesn’t say the wipes are alcohol-free. The back label mentions that they contain benzalkonium chloride and somewhere, in small letters, it’s also added that it has an ‘alcohol-free formula.’ Now, if you’re under the pressure of the situation, you might not spend extra time to read all this information carefully and just add the product to your cart right away.
In the end, patience is key
Us humans are programmed to function by following others’ cues on what to do especially in threatening situations. If you see certain hand sanitizers almost sold out, you might buy it too just because so many other people already did – without even reading the label. Not only does this cause mass confusion, but most importantly, it does not protect you properly.
Always take extra time to read the label of every product, sanitizers especially. In times like these, those extra minutes may quite literally save a life.
