Hand sanitizer versus hand washing

[smplybcause]

7 minutes ago, geegee1 said:

Not trying to stir up anything, but how about hand sanitizer wipes?  Are they better than the gel out of the bottle ones?

 

I think most don't have bleach, but if you happened to get the wipes that have a high enough bleach content that could kill it. Not sure if they are designed for hands though since bleach is rough on skin. 

[dreaming girl]

Sorry I didn’t mean to cause such an uproar.  I was hoping to give some friendly advice without getting technical. I will repeat washing well for 20 seconds is the CDCs recommendation.  Hand sanitizers are not effective for some diarrhea illnesses. Do careful research. Don’t believe everything you read . Products can make misleading statements. We do not use our alcohol based hand sanitizers at the hospital for patients with diarrhea as it is not effective in killing the spores they produce. I would imagine hospitals would purchase and use any product effective in killing these spores. I don’t know of these other hand sanitizers others have mentioned. Without going in to a lot of detail. Good hand washing, wearing gloves and isolation gowns when having contact with a carrier. Then removing these items and hand washing after is basically the policy in hospitals. Hand sanitizers are removed to make sure people wash their hands.  
Now realize you may wash and do everything right. But someone who just touched those tongs, or countertop or handle or,  ... may not have and be infected .  You get my point.

I for one enjoy cruising. Catching a virus is a chance I take.  As I said goodbye to my coworkers I got comments of  “have a good time” and “don’t forget to wash”. The conversations of ineffectiveness of hand sanitizers had already occurred.

By the way the cruise was great!

[Gershep]

I always make sure to wash my hands good. In addition whether it really works or not I always carry hand sanitizer especially on a cruise. It can't hurt.

[spanishguy1970]

17 hours ago, dreaming girl said:

With all the scare regarding spread of infection, I wanted to remind my cruise friends that hand sanitizers are not as effective as hand washing for 20 seconds. Hand sanitizers are not effective at all on some diarrhea illnesses. Norwegians newer cruise ships such as the Encore has sinks as you enter the buffet or observation area. I would highly recommend hand washing at the sinks versus the hand sanitizer washy washy. A little RN advice. 😊

yeah making the assumption some wash their hands at all, i have witnessed many times people leaving bathrooms without washing their hands, i have even told them to their face to wash their darn hands....of course i have been told to mind my own beeswax...some people have no respect for others health.

[fshagan]

11 hours ago, smplybcause said:

 

I think most don't have bleach, but if you happened to get the wipes that have a high enough bleach content that could kill it. Not sure if they are designed for hands though since bleach is rough on skin. 

 

The wipes are for surfaces; we use them on airplanes and when we first get into the cabin on a boat. They don't have to have a very strong concentration, so they aren't hard on our hands as we wipe stuff down. The CDC says a 5% bleach solution will kill noro, and that's about five tablespoons or about a third of a cup of bleach added to a gallon of water.

[Caroldoll]

On 2/6/2020 at 5:25 AM, ziggyuk said:

 

The one I listed kills Noro.

In the UK and can buy in Boots (for those here).

They have a website, that looks like it ships to the US, I put it in my cart but did not go further and they had US in the country list for the shipping address.

https://www.buyecohydra.com/collections/alcohol-free-instant-hand-sanitiser-range/products/alcohol-free-instant-hand-sanitiser-50ml

Thanks.  I am going to look in to it.

[Caroldoll]

On 2/6/2020 at 5:25 AM, ziggyuk said:

 

The one I listed kills Noro.

In the UK and can buy in Boots (for those here).

They have a website, that looks like it ships to the US, I put it in my cart but did not go further and they had US in the country list for the shipping address.

https://www.buyecohydra.com/collections/alcohol-free-instant-hand-sanitiser-range/products/alcohol-free-instant-hand-sanitiser-50ml

Thanks again.  Very easy to purchase.  They take PayPal.  

[fshagan]

On 2/6/2020 at 5:25 AM, ziggyuk said:

 

The one I listed kills Noro.

In the UK and can buy in Boots (for those here).

They have a website, that looks like it ships to the US, I put it in my cart but did not go further and they had US in the country list for the shipping address.

https://www.buyecohydra.com/collections/alcohol-free-instant-hand-sanitiser-range/products/alcohol-free-instant-hand-sanitiser-50ml

 

I'm a bit suspicious of their claims. It says it kills coronavirus in that link, and I don't think any non-bleach product can claim that it's actually been tested on coronavirus. The US considers hand sanitizers that make any health claim a drug, so domestic products have to go through an approve process with the FDA. For Americans, they should be aware that this product isn't verified by the FDA or EPA as being effective against noro (or coronavirus).

 

But, in a "belt and suspenders" application, where you combine any hand sanitizer with frequent hand washing, there's no reason not to use it. As long as you don't rely on it and reduce your hand washing.

 

It is also sold on Amazon.com here in the US, by the way.

[ziggyuk]

16 minutes ago, fshagan said:

 

I'm a bit suspicious of their claims. It says it kills coronavirus in that link, and I don't think any non-bleach product can claim that it's actually been tested on coronavirus. The US considers hand sanitizers that make any health claim a drug, so domestic products have to go through an approve process with the FDA. For Americans, they should be aware that this product isn't verified by the FDA or EPA as being effective against noro (or coronavirus).

 

But, in a "belt and suspenders" application, where you combine any hand sanitizer with frequent hand washing, there's no reason not to use it. As long as you don't rely on it and reduce your hand washing.

 

It is also sold on Amazon.com here in the US, by the way.

 

You are right.

 

The coronavirus claims will be for non Wuhan strains of coronavirus, Dettol and other disinfectants state they kills coronavirus but of course that packaging came out before Wuhan coronavirus was ever known about, even SARS is a strain of coronavirus. In light of this new strain I think all manufacturers of such products will have to start reevaluating their claims.

 

I was not aware, but as posted above by Homosassa, this product can be sold in the UK but the ingredients are are not considered over the counter medication in the US so cant be sold without drug licencing.

 

The way I see it, this is probably the best available, it should never replace hand washing but is about as good as it goes when on the go as a backup.

Edited February 10, 2020 by ziggyuk

[chengkp75]

12 minutes ago, fshagan said:

I'm a bit suspicious of their claims. It says it kills coronavirus in that link, and I don't think any non-bleach product can claim that it's actually been tested on coronavirus.

It does not say that it is effective against novel coronavirus, the particular bug that has caused this outbreak this year.  There are several variants of coronavirus, that have been around for some time, some cause severe illness like MERS and SARS.  Several only cause mild symptoms, much like a common cold.  Many of these milder coronaviruses are common in humans, and most people are expected to contract one or more at least once in their life.  Four strains of coronavirus cause about one fifth of the common cold cases.  These are the coronaviruses that this maker has reportedly tested against.  Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses, that rub-type hand sanitizers have a better record against than the non-enveloped varieties like norovirus.

[Caroldoll]

12 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

 

You are right.

 

The coronavirus claims will be for non Wuhan strains of coronavirus, Dettol and other disinfectants state they kills coronavirus but of course that packaging came out before Wuhan coronavirus was ever known about, even SARS is a strain of coronavirus. In light of this new strain I think all manufacturers of such products will have to start reevaluating their claims.

 

I was not aware, but as posted above by Homosassa, this product can be sold in the UK but the ingredients are are not considered over the counter medication in the US so cant be sold without drug licencing.

 

The way I see it, this is probably the best available, it should never replace hand washing but is about as good as it goes when on the go as a backup.

Correct on all counts.  People with compromised immune systems should not expose themselves to all of this "stuff" in my opinion.  Personally I have never been concerned, but I am concerned about a very short 7 day cruise we are taking in March.  Holding breath.

[DCP]

We have ALWAYS just WASHED our hands for at least 20 seconds (say the ABC's, sing Happy Birthday to yourself, that's how to make sure you have washed long enough)! I love the sinks outside the buffets, I wish all the ships had them. Use common sense, but unfortunately, a lot of people don't have that anymore.