Demonstrate the Science — When and How to Use Hand Sanitizer in Public Places

Due to the pandemic, we have realized that germs are all over the place! They can contaminate our hands and the day-to-day objects we get into contact with, making us ill and sick. Cleaning our hands with alcohol hand sanitizer that contains alcohol when we are prone to get attacked by these germs prevents diseases. It is one of the most important measures that we can take to avoid getting sick and transmitting germs to people around us.

To avoid getting sick and transmitting germs to others, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol. We can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases by using hand sanitizers for 20 seconds frequently, especially after using the restroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing our noses.

It is recommended that we should wash hands with soap and water whenever possible as it decreases the number of germs and toxins on hands. However, if soap and water are not accessible, using a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol can help us in the prevention of illness and transmission of germs to others. These sanitizers can be found in any medical supply store. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers when used appropriately may inactivate several types of germs extremely efficiently.

Photo by Noah on Unsplash

When to Use Hand Sanitizers?

Most of the people and employees use their hands for the creation of different articles, to shake hands with new people, open doors, and conduct a variety of other tasks throughout a typical day. All of these activities expose our hands to potentially dangerous germs and bacteria. Given that hands transmit 80% of all illnesses, it is critical to developing an efficient hand hygiene program at work.

Hand hygiene compliance can save employees from absenteeism and associated expenses by 40%. While washing hands with soap and water is the best approach to guarantee hands are clean and germ-free, it isn’t always an option. There is, however, a simple solution: hand sanitizer.

Making hand sanitizer Canada widely available and visible is the greatest approach to remind people to use it. It is critical to have hand sanitizer near and around high-touch surfaces and common spaces, such as:

• Eateries, cafeterias, food courts, and break rooms: Consuming food with germ-ridden hands makes it easier to digest the germs and become sick with a variety of illnesses. The breakroom and kitchen are among the germiest areas in a workplace. Although hand sanitizer is not a substitute for anybody who prepares food, it can aid in the elimination of some bacteria.
• Places for meetings: Meeting rooms are frequently crammed with employees, clients, and other visitors who exchange handshakes and therefore germs. By having an easily accessible hand sanitizing station, either at the door or the table, visitors and workers may protect their hands against germs both before and after the meeting.
• Employee Desks: Because individuals touch them so frequently, desks, phones, computer keyboards, and computer mice are important germ transmission sites. Desks become a place where germs may survive for up to three days when eating, drinking, coughing, and sneezing. Given that employees spend the majority of their time at their workstations, putting individual hand sanitizers at each desk will keep employees’ hands clean.
• High traffic areas: It is also critical to provide hand sanitizer outside of the office. Hand hygiene stations should be provided in high-traffic locations such as airport terminals, mall halls, and recreation centers to ensure that visitors stay as healthy as possible. This not only keeps high-traffic areas clean, but also serves to boost the image of the airport, mall, or recreation facility.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

How to Use Hand Sanitizers?

There is a procedure for applying hand sanitizer, just as there is for washing our hands. We may be reducing its efficiency and perhaps leaving dangerous germs on your hands if we don’t apply it appropriately. While applying hand sanitizer, three factors must be taken into consideration:

• The amount used — Many individuals make the mistake of using too little hand sanitizer, especially if their dispenser does not give enough in one squeeze. The World Health Organization suggests using a “coin-sized quantity” of the sanitizer. In other words, just as with hand soap, we need enough hand sanitizer to cover both sides of our hands and between our fingers.
• The technique used — After applying the sanitizer, we should thoroughly massage it. We should pay close attention to the backs of our hands, our thumbs, and the spaces between our fingers. This process should take around 20 seconds. When we’re through, our hands should be completely dry. The sanitizer should not be wiped or rinsed away.
• The consistency of the sanitizer — We should choose an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol. The Food and Drug Administration has also warned against using hand sanitizers that contain methanol, a chemical that may be harmful when rubbed into the skin. Some hand sanitizers are labeled with ethanol or ethyl alcohol yet include methanol. We should also avoid products that are not branded “FDA-approved.” It is not advisable to make hand sanitizer on our own. Self-made Hand sanitizer can be useless and can even be damaging to our skin if not produced correctly.
• The storage of the sanitizer — As the expiration date approaches, the alcohol content gradually decreases, reducing its effectiveness. We should dispose of any expired hand sanitizer and replace it with a fresh bottle. We should also keep our hand sanitizer in a cold, dry place and avoid direct sunlight and prolonged heat exposure. While there is little danger of combustion, high temperatures can hasten alcohol evaporation, especially if air enters into the bottle. So a sanitizer should be properly stored.

Final Words

With a cheap and pocket-friendly hand sanitizer from any wholesale medical supplies in Canada, we can help prevent the flow of diseases and create a healthier environment for the people around us.

Originally published at https://medicsupplies.ca on July 13, 2021.