Alcohol Hand Gel not all that!

[TorNicho]

Hey guys, I have just been on the first day of my medical training course, and the trainers mentioned something:-

The alcohol gel which kills 99.9% germs and thingies, Does Not kill the Norovirus.

Just a heads up.

[pseudonym]

Is it still that good old method of washing your hands in soap and hot water trick?

[nickdutch]

The norovirus is a virus, but alcohol is an antibacterial agent. I am not that surprised.

[jansman]

I am a food industry worker. PROPER handwashing is key. As pseudonym says, good old fashioned soap and water.

[celtic69]

As a healthcare worker I can confirm that alcohol gel does not kill norovirus, what kills it is good old fashioned soap and water with correct hand washing technique

[Appin]

Alcohol hand gel does not work against Norovirus but does work against some viruses (eg HIV) but not others ( eg Hepatitis B).

Nor does it work against clostridium difficile which is another problem in hospitals which is a bacteria but it forms tough spores.

Soap and water works.

There is a special hand gel that does work against norovirus but it is not widely used as simple hand washing covers all that is needed.

Appin