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Not only are hands disinfected every day, but also various surfaces (table, door handles, telephone), so there is a possibility that the disinfectant liquid gets into the mouth or on the sensitive skin of the face, according to a circulated report. According to Giedrė Tautkevičienė, pharmacist at Gintarinės vaistinė, the most important thing is not to mix hand sanitizer with the surface. The latter are more irritating to the skin, have a stronger odor, and can be serious allergens or damage the skin.
Photo of the report authors / Pharmacist Giedrė Tautkevičienė
“When disinfecting hands, it is important to clean them properly so that the liquid covers the entire hand. It is also very important to wait for excess sanitizer to evaporate from your hands before it is safe to touch your face or eat food. After disinfection, surfaces can only be touched when completely dry. If we eat the food without waiting, we can carry a disinfectant with us, which we will eat later, ”he warns.
What are the health risks?
Disinfectant liquids contain about 80 percent. alcohol, which is harmful to the human mucosa and can damage it. The pharmacist warns that the taste of the disinfectant can cause a sore throat, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. After swallowing a small amount of liquid, a person should recover quickly, but it is recommended to monitor how he feels.
It is important not only to disinfect the premises, but also to ventilate them.
“Prolonged exposure to a poorly ventilated and heavily disinfected room can cause drowsiness, headaches, decreased concentration, and shortness of breath and shallow breathing. Over time, allergic reactions such as a runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, dry and irritating cough can occur.
There is limited data on the effects of alcohol evaporation. But it is likely that frequent and prolonged disinfection of surfaces, premises and lack of ventilation can lead to long-term respiratory problems or an increased risk of lung infections, allergic reactions. It is therefore important not only to disinfect the facilities, but also to ventilate them, ”emphasizes G. Tautkevičienė.
She advises storing the surface disinfectant in a separate place, alongside other household chemicals, scrubbers. It must be out of the reach of children.
“If the hand sanitizer is kept in a purse, pocket, or car, care must also be taken to keep it out of the reach of children. Sanitizer bottles are small and colorful so they can catch children’s attention. With young children, I would recommend choosing a more complicated bottle unscrewing mechanism ”, emphasizes the pharmacist.
According to G.Tautkevičienė, it is best to use disinfectant liquids specially designed for children, just as effective, only without alcohol. These disinfectants do not dry the skin, do not cause allergic reactions, and their smell does not irritate the child’s nose.
Sigismund Gedvila / 15min photo / Hand disinfection
In search of the most suitable disinfectant
The pharmacist says there are cases where customers who visit the pharmacy complain of allergic reactions to the use of disinfectants, such as a runny nose and watery eyes, as well as severely sensitized, dry, red and itchy hands. Ask frequently to recommend which disinfectant to choose.
“To protect the skin on your hands, you should choose a disinfectant gel that leaves a protective film on your hand. They contain glycerin, which maintains and ensures moisture in the hands, prevents dehydration. These products are also saturated with vitamins and minerals that they also hydrate the skin. If you have to use a disinfectant very frequently, I advise you to choose a gel precisely because of its moisturizing properties. Furthermore, the gel does not evaporate in the same way as a disinfectant liquid, so its smell is not irritating, ”explains G. Tautkevičienė.
According to her, another great option to protect against the coronavirus is to use disinfectant wipes, because they are more comfortable to carry, take up less space and the wipes cannot be spilled in the bag.
“Disinfectant liquids cannot remove dirt from our hands, and with wipes we can not only disinfect our hands, but also clean them. For this reason, wipes are very suitable for children who like to touch everything, as they also guarantee clean hands when there is no possibility to wash them. Using wipes is much less likely to get disinfectant in your eyes. In addition, the wipe stays wet longer than a drop of disinfectant, so the whole hand is likely to be cleaned, “says the pharmacist.
Remember that in many places you can use soap with water, as it effectively kills the walls of bacteria and viruses. If the skin on the hands is very irritated, care should be taken to use disinfectants as little as possible, wear disposable gloves, wash hands with soap and water and, if possible, pamper them with cream.
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