Hand sanitizers are handy, easy to use, and compact, and not time-consuming. Several studies have concluded that the risk of transmitting gastrointestinal (stomach) and respiratory infection among families using hand sanitizers is decreasing.
Commercially prepared hand sanitizers contain ingredients that prevent dryness of the skin. Using these products can lead to less dryness and discomfort on the skin than hand washing. Studies indicate that the introduction of hand sanitizers to classrooms will minimize student absenteeism by 20 percent due to illness.
What is a hand sanitizer?
Hand sanitizer is a liquid, gel, or foam used on hands to reduce infectious agents. Hand-washing with soap and water is usually preferred in most environments. Hand sanitizer is not effective at destroying other forms of germs such as norovirus because Clostridium difficile, and it cannot eliminate toxic chemicals unlike soap and water. Users can wipe away the hand sanitizer inappropriately until it has been cleaned, and others are less effective because their alcohol concentrations are too low.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer acts against a large variety of microorganisms but not spores. Compounds like glycerol can be applied to avoid skin drying. Certain versions contain fragrances; that being said, due to the risk of allergic reactions these are discouraged. Usually, non-alcoholic versions contain benzalkonium chloride or triclosan; they are less successful than alcohol-based variants. The alcohol-based version is on the list of essential drugs, the best and most effective medications needed in a health system, issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Why do we need a hand sanitizer?
Isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) or ethanol (the principal ingredient of alcoholic drinks) is the primary ingredient in most hand sanitizers. Alcohols have a long history of being an effective disinfectant against some viruses and bacteria, so long as there is enough alcohol in the solution. Another of hand sanitizer's biggest advantages is exactly that: it sanitizes. These products have been engineered to kill germs and they are getting the job done.
Hand sanitizers can kill 99.9 percent of the germs on the hands if used properly. Especially during the flu season it is important to limit exposure to other people's germs. People can lower their risk of being sick if they take a moment to sanitize hands a couple of times during the day. Even a quick trip to a friend's house or store can expose the hands to germs that could cause a cold, flu, or other illness, so it's important to keep hands as clean as possible.
Recently emerging applications and end-users of hand sanitizer
Hand sanitizer in the workplace
Employees use their hands during every given workday to write a report, shake hands with a new client, open doors, and many more. All these activities expose hands to toxic bacteria and germs. Illness is related to a lack of productivity. Organizations encouraging the daily use of hand sanitizers appear to provide more health workers. Research in BMC Infectious Diseases showed that office employees who were advised to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer at least five times a day were almost two-thirds less likely to get sick than those who stopped washing their hands.
Germs spread rapidly at the office, in the classroom, or in any space that has lots of foot traffic, and even if an individual is not getting ready to eat or take out the garbage they may be affected (especially in close quarters) by the germs of others. For this reason it is best for group settings to have hand sanitizer available. Teachers, teachers, and office staff can regularly destroy germs during the day without having to leave their classroom or workspace, and gym-goers may use a hand sanitizer squirt before getting on the next fitness machine.
Hotels & restaurants
Today's hospitality industry has a lot more to sell than just luxury. They must provide visitors with a clean and hygienic environment; they must maintain spiced and span entrance doors to each room, keep every bathroom clean, and the kitchen and restaurant, of course. Each bit of soap needs to be discarded in washrooms; only used for once, and each day they have a new one. Hand sanitizers can play a significant role here and help to reduce pollution. The use of hand sanitizer in restaurants may be the new solution to yesteryear's old-school operation, providing many unforeseen benefits.
Providing visitors with a hand sanitizer will help reduce germs that are spread through menus, which are also breeding grounds for bacteria. In order to keep hospital patients and staff safe, hospitals must have on-site infection control workers. Cleanliness is a significant component of food health but in the hectic restaurant world it can always go unnoticed. If you want to ensure that the service members in your restaurant remain germ-free during their shifts, a dedicated infection management team member might be a perfect choice to introduce. This staff member may urge workers to continue the use of hand sanitizer in restaurants to complement smart hand washing practices.
Hand sanitizers in the healthcare setting
Hand sanitizer is generally more effective for hand antiseptic, and tolerated better than soap and water, among health care workers. Hand washing should still be completed when contamination can be seen or after the toilet is used. Hand sanitizer should be used and contains at least 60 percent alcohol or a "persistent antiseptic." Alcohol rubs destroy several different types of bacteria including bacteria that are immune to antibiotics and bacteria.
These also kill other varieties of viruses, including the coronavirus and the flu virus. Rubbing with alcohol is more effective against viruses than most other ways of hand washing. For health care environments such as hospitals and clinics, the optimal concentration of alcohol to kill bacteria is between 70% and 95%. Alcohol rub hand sanitizers that contain at least 70% alcohol (mainly ethyl alcohol) kill 99.9% of the bacteria in hands 30 seconds after application and 99.99% to 99.99% in one minute. In health care, optimal disinfection needs exposure to certain exposed surfaces including under the fingernails, between the fingertips, on the back of the thumb, and around the hand.
The Bottom Line
The hand sanitizer market has witnessed an exponential surge in its adoption especially amid the coronavirus outbreak. The market’s growth rate has also been associated with the significant rise in the number of health-conscious customers and growing awareness for the benefits of keeping hands clean.
Hand Sanitizers are one of the alternate ways of washing and cleaning hands. Hand Sanitizer also comes in small bottles which makes it convenient to carry them. One can easily hand it over in their purse, car, pocket, or can easily keep it at the workstation desk.
Free Valuable Insights: Global Hand Sanitizer Market to reach a market size of USD 3.65 billion by 2026
Hand Sanitizer also comes in different forms such as spray and gels, consumers can easily select according to their requirement. Additionally, new products are being launched rapidly in the market with more options and features such as different shapes, sizes, and fragrances. Hence, in the coming years, this factor is expected to create more demand for hand sanitizers.
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