During the COVID-19 pandemic, experts at the University of Sheffield in England have questioned whether the handwashing recommendation also applies to doctors and health professionals. Their study found that mild detergents are as effective at killing viruses as aggressive special soaps – which include the coronavirus – and may be better for your health.
incentivize
Health care professionals often switch from anti-irritant soaps to gentler, more skin-friendly cleansers because of how often they wash their hands. The goal is to treat or prevent irritant contact dermatitis, a skin condition that causes red, dry, and cracked hands. During the pandemic, the incidence of this condition increased from 20% to 80% in physicians.
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According to the study’s lead author, Dr. Menna Muthana, of the Department of Oncology and Metabolism at the University of Sheffield, said that while the UK health authorities’ recommendation for the prevention of COVID-19 was to wash your hands with warm water for 20 seconds, the procedure could harm your body. Healthy skin doctors, who do it again and again.
This will have the opposite effect: with fragility, the transmission will increase. This does not include burnt, sore and inflamed hands, which also lead to lower productivity at work.
Since there is no clear evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of mild detergents, the research group set out to analyze these products in relation to preventing the spread of viruses such as human coronavirus, herpes simplex virus, norovirus, and influenza.
the study
In the study, scientists tested several hand cleaning products: antibacterial soaps, natural soaps, foaming cleansers, and shower products.
They noted the product’s ability to kill both enveloped viruses (such as the human coronavirus and influenza, which have an extra layer of structural protection) and non-enveloped viruses (such as norovirus and adenovirus).
results
- The results of the study have been published in the journal Frontiers in Virology It was found that mild detergents were effective in killing enveloped viruses;
- On the other hand, non-enveloped viruses showed resistance against cleaning products suitable for the skin, as well as strong soaps;
- Research has shown how effective substituting soap for gentle laundry products is against enveloped viruses, including coronavirus.
- Furthermore, they found that additional agents, such as moisturizers to protect the skin, did not hinder the products’ protection. According to Muthanna, this means “we don’t have to use products that are too aggressive on our skin to kill viruses”;
- However, non-enveloped viruses showed resistance in all types of products, both aggressive and mild;
- Norovirus, better known as winter vomiting virus, was the most resistant. The only product that killed her was bleach, which is not a viable replacement due to its corrosiveness.
with information from Medical Express
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Emily Brontë is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, literature, and current affairs. She is dedicated to producing clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about developments in the UK and around the world.
