A recent study has revealed that certain alcohol-based hand sanitisers often used in healthcare environments may not be as effective as previously thought. According to this new information, certain viruses – especially influenza – can effectively protect themselves from the effects of these hygiene products when encased in mucus. This means that they take minutes to be destroyed by the ethanol in these products instead of succumbing immediately to its effects.
As such, it may be time for practices to rethink the hand hygiene options available to patients and professionals alike, especially as flu season is in full swing.
Viral intelligence
What makes this piece of research so interesting is the fact that mucus is commonly the vehicle in which the flu virus spreads from person to person. Droplets of mucus expelled during coughing or sneezing provide the perfect chance for viruses to spread as they can be inhaled by other people or survive on surfaces in waiting rooms, remaining infectious.
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