To let people know that antibac gels don't work for stomach bugs?

[Lylaroseharvey]

Apparently with lockdown easing there has been an increase in other viruses so just thought I'd let everyone know about this.

Hand sanitizing gel works well for Covid because of the high alcohol content however non-enveloped viruses, including most sickness bugs are not destroyed by hand gel.

90% of stomach bugs are caused by different variants of Norovirus (there are loads) and a lot of cases of sickness that people think are food poisoning are actually Norovirus caught from the person preparing the food (obviously there are also bacterial food poisoning cases but these are less common).

If there is a stomach virus circulating in your area make sure to wash your hands very regularly (particularly when getting in from outside) and if you want to use a hand sanitizer buy an antiviral hand sanitizer containing 'Benzalkonium chloride' rather than an antibacterial gel, which is more likely to work.

Thanks for sharing this Lylaroseharvey.

I was vaguely aware that it wasn't great against stomach bugs, but didn't know that there was a chemical to look for.

I sometimes put the plain dettol surface clear (less harsh on my hands than alcohol!) into a small spray - I think I will make an effort to do that more often.

*The dettol contains that ingredient - Benzalkonium chloride.

Though there is probably a dettol hand sanitizer out there already.

YANBU, it's a big misconception and people sadly think they're protecting themselves from horrible gastric bugs by these hand gels. Rigorous hand washing is more effective.

Good hand hygiene and keeping your sick child home from school. Sick bug went around DC's school before half term after a parent sent in their kid who had vomited the night before "but it was just the once", child threw up a few more times in school and got sent home, by the end of the week more than half the class was off with it.

Just searched for something related to hand gel on the forum- good to know!

Technically a zombie thread but I've heard lots of talk of sickness bugs so maybe good to know?

(ps. yes i'm the same emetophobic poster refreshing the thread each time)

As someone who has worked with children in pantomime (who gave each other and me norovirus 🤮) I cannot stress this enough.

Just bathing yourself in random alcohol gel won’t do it. Wash your hands. Before putting them anywhere near your mouth!!

Alcohol gel doesn’t work, but there is a company called serenity who have hand sanitiser that does work on norovirus and c.diff
It’s used in private hospitals, but the NHS won’t change their practice from alcohol gel, even though it would save ward closures and deaths when it goes around hospitals.

@SawnWood

Alcohol gel doesn’t work, but there is a company called serenity who have hand sanitiser that does work on norovirus and c.diff It’s used in private hospitals, but the NHS won’t change their practice from alcohol gel, even though it would save ward closures and deaths when it goes around hospitals.

Yes, there are quite a few anti-viral sanitizers (I think EcoHydra, Nilaqua, others) that do contain Benzalkonium chloride, which might denature Norovirus. It's just the alcohol based hand gels that definitely don't work for it.

Thank you for the information. I am carer for my 98 year mil who has dementia and mobility problems. I have been using hand wipes with her and have just ordered anti- viral wipes.
If this helps to avoid another bout of d&v for her I will be for ever grateful.

We use Nilaqua which you can order online from boots which kills norovirus

Ecohydra is great and doesn't dry your hands out

@Trumpton

Thank you for the information. I am carer for my 98 year mil who has dementia and mobility problems. I have been using hand wipes with her and have just ordered anti- viral wipes. If this helps to avoid another bout of d&v for her I will be for ever grateful.

Clinell hand wipes and surface wipes are really good for this. They are used by the NHS and definitely work.

The packets of some antiviral foams and wipes that say they work for 'enveloped viruses' (e.g. Boots wipes) and those probably wouldn't work for stomach bugs as they are mostly caused by different strains of Norovirus (i.e. a non-enveloped virus).

Also if you are at a farm park/zoo you need to wash hands with soap and hot water not antibac.

A good motivator is to remember most stomach bugs travel the fecal-oral route, ie it’s someone else’s poo getting into your mouth…..

@Whichjab

Also if you are at a farm park/zoo you need to wash hands with soap and hot water not antibac.

Yes, that's true. One farm park in my local area was closed down recently because of an E-coli outbreak, which they have suggested was caused by people replacing their handwashing with antibac gel.

Theoretically I think antibac gel is supposed to work for E-coli bacteria but you need visibly clean hands for it to work for that (i.e. if they're covered in bits of animal feed and animal lick then it wouldn't work) and people may not have been using an adequate quantity or rubbing it in well.

@LadyGardenersQuestionTime

A good motivator is to remember most stomach bugs travel the fecal-oral route, ie it’s someone else’s poo getting into your mouth…..

Well invisible viral particles from the poo or vomit but yeah.