Effective alcohol-free hand sanitizers such as those with alcohol

Alcohol-free hand sanitizers are as effective against Covid as those that contain it.

In particular, those with benzalkonium chloride and many other quaternary ammonium compounds were found to be able to eliminate at least 99.9% of the virus within 15 seconds.

This is found in a research by Brigham Young University, published in the Journal of Hospital Infection.

Since benzalkonium chloride typically works well against lipid-surrounded viruses, such as Covid, the researchers thought it might be indicated.

To test their hypothesis, they put Covid samples in test tubes and then mixed them into several compounds, including a 2% benzalkonium chloride solution and three commercially available disinfectants containing quaternary ammonium compounds.

"Our results - explains Benjamin Ogilvie, lead author of the study - indicated that alcohol-free hand sanitizers work just as well, so we could, perhaps even should, use them to control Covid-19".

Alcohol-free hand sanitizers, which are also effective against common cold and flu viruses, have a number of advantages over their alcohol-based counterparts, Ogilvie points out.

"Benzalkonium chloride - it specifies - can be used in much lower concentrations and does not cause the familiar 'burning' sensation that can be experienced using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It can make life easier for people. who have to disinfect their hands a lot, like healthcare workers, and perhaps even increase compliance with sanitation guidelines. "

Faced with any shortcomings, then, "having more options to disinfect hospitals and public places is essential", concludes Antonio Solis Leal, who conducted the study's experiments.

    (HANDLE).