Hand sanitisers are now seen almost everywhere you go all around the world, especially in public places as people try to do their best to deal with and combat the spread of covid-19. Hand sanitiser was first introduced commercially in the 1990s and since they became popular there has been a continual debate about whether or not they are really good for us and safe to use or whether they just help to destabilize our immune system as they kill both the good germs and bad.
The Merits of Hand Sanitisers
• Alcohol Kills Germs
It’s a well proven fact that alcohol has the ability to kill bacteria and germs. The use of hand sanitiser has effectively reduced the number of days lost to sickness in schools and the workplace in general by helping to prevent the spread of viruses through hand contact. This has been demonstrated in numerous studies in many countries over the last few years.
• Accessibility
Washing your hands with clean water and soap is the best method of stopping the spread of viruses, but when this is not available the next best thing is a quality hand sanitiser. This because it is convenient to store anywhere and can be carried in small bottles.
• Cost Effective
Hand sanitisers are very cost effective as they are inexpensive if properly stored have a long shelf life. A small personal bottle of hand sanitiser can last a person for several weeks and it can be purchased in large bottles and transferred to smaller bottles for ease of personal use and transportation.
The Negative Side of Hand Sanitisers
• Some are Ineffective
When purchasing hand sanitisers it’s vital that you read the label and make sure it contains more than 60% alcohol and is not past its use by date. As the alcohol evaporates, so it’s vital to ensure that the seal is intact or the alcohol content may have diminished through evaporation, especially if the container has not been stored correctly or heated up.
Unless your hand sanitiser contains alcohol it will not be effective against many forms of bacteria and viruses.
• Weakens your Immunity to Germs
The American FDA acknowledges the fact that the frequent use of hand sanitisers can weaken your natural immunity to germs. This is because they can cause both good and bad bacteria to build up a resistance to them as well as make it more difficult for your immune system to fight off different infections and destroy bad bacteria in your system.
• Dirt and Grime
Hand sanitiser will not remove dirt and grime which is where most bacteria is found
It’s a fact that keeping yourself clean is important and to wash your hands and clothing regularly is important, but it’s also important that you allow your system to encounter some bacteria in order to keep your immune system working correctly.
When you wash with soap and water you remove dirt and grime as well as the bad bacteria living there which has very little effect on your immune system. Hand sanitisers should be used when soap and water are not available not instead of them, especially in high risk areas or when encountering situations where you may come into contact with viruses or people who are possible carriers of viruses