With the spread of coronavirus, we have seen empty shelves of supermarts as panic buying took over. While people fought over toilet paper, there was another item that was barely available in the market. Yes, you guessed it correctly, we are talking about hand sanitiser. As per the safety guidelines by the global health officers, washing your hands frequently and sanitizing them can ward off the deadly contagious COVID-19 virus. This parked a surge in the buying of santiser and let to a plunge in its availability.
To meet the requirement of the people, many brands started producing their own santisers at the standard rate. However, a question on the safety of these new products on the market remains unanswered. Are you sure the hand sanitiser you’re using is meeting the safety standards? Is it effective to curb the coronavirus?
The FDA recommends firms make alcohol-based for consumer and healthcare use with not less than 94.9 percent of alcohol or ethanol. The composition of the hand sanitiser must contain glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, and sterile water as ingredients.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention mentions that “hand sanitisers work well in clinical settings like hospitals, where hands come in contact with germs but generally not heavily soiled or greasy.” An ideal hand sanitiser must contain alcohol between 60 to 95 percent for effective use.
The correct way to use a hand sanitiser is to apply the product to the palm of your hand and rub it all over your hands until it dries. It any case you must not wipe off the santiser.
Making your hand santiser at home is a great way to control what goes into the product. However, it’s not safe as one needs to be cautious and know the right information to DIY santiser. Handmade santiser is not sterile and safe hence can easily get contaminated. Incorrectly made hand sanitisers can not only be ineffective but also can cause side effects.
Experts also advise avoiding santisers that claims to be made for COVID-19.
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