Using hand sanitizers might not do much to ward off a cold or flu, according to a recent study at the University of Virginia.
The study consisted of various experimental and control groups, using different infectious viruses. Its results were first reported by the Daily Progress in Charlottesville.
For the study, participants applied antiviral alcohol-based hand sanitizer every three hours to prevent infection. They were found to have 42 infections per 100 participants of the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold. This was not significantly lower than the 51 infections per 100 participants in the control group who did not use sanitizer.
Influenza had similar results. Twelve per 100 participants came down with the flu while using hand sanitizer. Fifteen per 100 participants who went without sanitizer were infected with the flu.
The results surprised research team leader Dr. Ronald Turner.
“We all thought if you used hand disinfectants, it would have an impact,” Turner said.
But don’t necessarily give up hand sanitizers.
“The use of hand sanitizer is a very complicated issue,” said Dr. Peter Katona, associate professor of clinical medicine at UCLA, who was not part of the study. “It’s very hard to know how much sickness is passed through direct contact.”
As the flu and cold season approaches, Katona gave advice on how to improve your chances of staying healthy.
“Be careful with someone who is ill. Keep your distance from a sick person,” Katona said. “Hand washing is very important. And I still believe hand sanitizers [protect] as well.
