It has now been more than 10 months since the first reported case of Covid-19 in the United States, and we are still learning more everyday about this deadly disease. It has been a struggle to sift through all the information, and find the truth from the lies. What we have learned however, is that there are several key important things we all can do to manage the disease and prevent the spread as best we can.
First and foremost is to wear a mask when in public spaces, especially if there are large gatherings of people present. Wearing masks is still the best known way to stop the spread of Covid-19. Second is to remember to keep 6 feet apart from one another, and spend as little time in confined space as possible in public venues. If contact is made with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, or someone who has shown the symptoms of the disease, self-quarantine is imperative to prevent harm to friends, family and acquaintances. Until a negative test result proves otherwise, or after 14 days of no symptoms, it is best to limit contact with other people. At the same time, retracing steps and reaching out to people who could have made contact during the period between contraction and quarantine will help prevent the spread.
In addition to these steps, washing hands and using hand sanitizer can limit the spread of the disease. Hand sanitizer is classified as any liquid, gel, or foam that is used to eliminate and decrease the number of infectious agents that might be on the hands. Most hand sanitizer is alcohol based, made from combinations which generally have between 60% to 95% concentration of an alcohol base. These products can be scented or unscented, and are frequently used in hospitals to quickly kill germs and other infectious agents.
When picking an effective and safe hand sanitizer, there are certain key factors that are important to remember. First is that when buying hand sanitizer, always make sure to check the ingredients, and to never buy methanol based hand sanitizer. Methanol is toxic and can be fatal in large doses. Generally, it’s smarter to buy American made sanitizers, as the FDA can make sure they are following set standards and guidelines. Alcohol based hand sanitizers are usually made from some combination of isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, or n-propanol, all of which have proven safe on human skin and effective in killing infectious agents. The FDA advises using sanitizers that have an alcohol concentration of at least 60%, and that the manufacturer complies with their regulation.
Most well known brands follow these guidelines well, as do several new companies, like DocPPE, which follows and exceeds the high standards set by the FDA. With an ethanol concentration of 80% and a formulation built for high frequency use, DocPPe hand sanitizer works just as well and comes in 4 ounce and 8 ounce aluminum bottles for ease and transportation.