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At every step, we remind you that the best prevention of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is frequent hand washing with soap and water. Washing your hands, lasting at least 20 seconds, effectively deactivates the coronavirus. How it’s possible?
- SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the lipophilic viruses. This means that it is susceptible to the action of all lipid solvents
- Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds is the most effective way to get rid of the coronavirus and other lipophilic viruses from our hands
- Foam that appears that disrupts the chemical bonds that allow viruses to stick to the surface of your hand.
- More current information about the coronavirus epidemic on the Onet homepage.
Since the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus appeared on a large scale, we have heard the command everywhere to wash your hands often with soap and water, as this helps to deactivate the coronavirus and prevent its spread. So we scrub our hands several times a day, singing Bajmu’s “White Army” or other popular songs, but finally we wonder: does it really work?
It works very well. The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is a lipophilic virus, as is the influenza virus. This means that it is susceptible to the action of all lipid solvents. The outer layer of the coronavirus is made of lipids. Warm water with soap is enough to dissolve this coating. If we cannot wash our hands, we can disinfect them with an alcohol-based liquid (approx. 65%). High concentrations of alcohol also dissolve the lipid envelope of the coronavirus.
The pathogen particle, damaged in this way, loses its ability to penetrate human cells and infect them. The coronavirus is physically deactivated.
Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds is the most effective way to get rid of the coronavirus and other lipophilic viruses from your hands. Soap molecules consist of two particles – one combines with water and the other with lipids. It is this second part that gets attracted to the outer layer of the virus and begins to destroy it. The virus particle breaks down and is no longer dangerous.
We recommend the Green Laboratory antibacterial liquid soap with a citrus scent. It contains origanol, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. The soap is available on Medonet Market at an attractive price.
When washing your hands with soap and water, a lot of foam appears, which disrupts the chemical bonds that allow viruses to stick to the surface of our hands. At least 20 seconds of washing your hands, fingers, and nails thoroughly, then rinsing your hands well with warm water will help get rid of the viruses.
Why is it better to wash your hands with warm water rather than cold? The combination of warm water and soap produces more lather. If we wash our hands in cold water, this time should be extended to 30 seconds.
We also remind you of the graphic that shows how to wash your hands properly:
The most important information about the coronavirus. Stay updated:
- How do I clean my phone to get rid of germs?
- What is the best mask for shopping, on the bus, or to the doctor? Here are the CDC recommendations
- How do viruses spread? The most common mistakes
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