Preventing the flu: Hand sanitizer versus handwashing
The flu can have many people going heavy on the hand sanitizer, but a recent study found that germs could help us overall.
Posted — UpdatedAlready this season, 33 people have died in the state from the illness.
The flu can have many people going heavy on the hand sanitizer, but a recent study found that germs could help us overall.
The study was published in an American Society for Microbiology journal, mSphere. It found that washing your hands with water alone, no soap, might do a better job of removing flu viruses than hand sanitizer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-based sanitizer can kill some germs, like cold and flu viruses, when used correctly.
But it's not reliable against several other germs, including norovirus, the common and highly contagious stomach bug.
And it may not be as effective if your hands are visibly dirty.
The difference: Washing removes germs from your hands.
Sanitizer can kill germs, but doesn’t always get rid of them all.
So it's not a substitute for hand washing unless you just can't get to a sink.
Getting a flu shot is, of course, the No. 1 protector.
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