The Mayo Clinic reports that washing your hands with soap and water is the easiest way to prevent the spread of infections. It’s the best way to avoid getting sick and passing an illness to others. When soap and water are not accessible, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol, advises a New York Times article written by Deborah Franklin.
What is Hand Sanitizer?
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be made with the active ingredients ethyl alcohol (the same type of alcohol found in wine and beer) ethanol or isopropanol. While there is no substitute for cleansing with soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can kill germs and bacteria and limit the spread of viruses and microbes when soap and water are not available. Hand sanitizers are safe for children and adolescents, but you need to be sure that little hands are fully dried. Getting alcohol-based sanitizer in the mouth can have adverse side effects.
Risks
In 2009, WISN Channel 12, a Milwaukee-based news affiliate of ABC, reported that hand sanitizers pose a risk to young children. In one interview, a spokesperson for the Wisconsin Poison Center indicated that ingesting the sanitizer, even though no serious cases were reported, could result in hospitalization. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN, reports that a 2-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer is equivalent to four shots of vodka.
Benefits
The American Association of Poison Control Centers reports that the benefits of alcohol-based hand sanitizers clearly outweigh the dangers. Ethanol-based hand sanitizers, according to the Association of Poison Control Centers, have the potential to be toxic if a child is not properly monitored. On the other hand, antiseptics help prevent the spread of colds, seasonal flu, and, in 2009 especially, the H1N1 virus.
Statistics
In 2005, the Association of Poison Control Centers reported more than 9,500 calls regarding ethanol exposure from hand sanitizers. Of those calls, nearly 8,000 were related to children under the age of 6. About 12,000 poison control centers were contacted again in 2006, of which 9,600 were related to exposure to children under the age of 6. In both of those years, there were no deaths associated with exposure to hand sanitizers, and only two cases, both adults, resulted in a major medical emergency.
Using Hand Sanitizer Safely
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that you should apply a dollop of hand sanitizer to one palm. Rub hands together, including the front and back, until they are completely dry. It should take longer than 10 or 15 seconds for the antiseptic to fully dry. The Mayo Clinic reports that you should wash or sanitize your hands before preparing food and after using the toilet and changing diapers, touching an animal, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, treating wound and handling garbage.
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