Microblog: Hand Sanitizers May Spread More Bacteria
CDC: “Alcohol-based hand sanitizers DO NOT eliminate all types of germs.” CDC should mention
1️⃣hand sanitizer MUST have hands fully wet (3 mL, more than 1 pump!)
2️⃣for at least 30 seconds,
3️⃣at least 60% alcohol but <95%
4️⃣and hands MUST be dried by air to EVEN BE effective.
Why Hand Sanitizers Aren’t Ideal
⚠️OR you’re just SPREADING bacteria around.
⁉️HOW MANY OF US (& our kids) USE HAND SANITIZERS THIS WAY?
⚠️Sanitizers are ineffective when hands have dirt or grease. Parks, stores, before/after eating. When is this ever NOT the case?
⚠️Ethanol-based sanitizers break down our skin barrier bc alcohol strips proteins and lipids, resulting in irritation and dryness. Cracking of skin causes MORE susceptibility to pathogens—the very thing we’re trying to stop with sanitizers.
⚠️Swallowing sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning. In 2011-2015, CDC received over 85K calls about hand sanitizers and kids. How often do we use sanitizers on kids after play to eat their lunch?
⚠️Benzalkonium Chloride’s main role is to dissolve the outer coverings of bacterial cells. But it’s just as bad on our cells and microbes, increasing irritation within the mucosal lining and aggravating allergies.
⚠️In a Science Daily study, a child’s immunity was seriously affected by the use of hand sanitizers. They found MORE kids were falling ill due to preventable diseases after long-term use of sanitizers.
⚠️The study looked for inflammation (CRP) and found very clean environments during the early stages of a child’s life LOWERS immunity to a level that the body’s defense mechanism is in constant fighting mode—leading to weakened immunity and vulnerability to disease as adults.
🚨CDC recommends washing hands once we DO have access to soap & water—even if we’ve used sanitizers. The use of sanitizers is convenient but HIGHLY ineffective. Maybe if we didn’t have sanitizers, we would find soap and water ASAP which IS effective.⠀
🧼Stick to soap. MAKE IT CONVENIENT. Carry around a water bottle and soap in a bag until COVID-19 passes. We need the strongest immunity and if the overuse of sanitizers—AND the risk of incorrectly using them spread bacteria AND potentially damage our immune system, why use them?
