Using disinfectant for the hands reduces the days of illness

A recent study shows that the type and type of product that we use when washing our hands has a direct impact on how often we get sick.

According to a study published in the Pediatrics Magazine. Spanish researchers demonstrated that children who used hand sanitizers instead of soap and water reduced their days of illness, suffered less respiratory infections and used less antibiotic prescriptions.

“Washing hands as a way to prevent infections is no longer new. We are now paying more attention to the fact that it is not just about washing your hands, but how to wash your hands. ” Janet Haas, epidemiologist of the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
The sample of the study was of 911 small children (up to 3 years) of 24 different nursery schools in the province of Almeria.
For the realization of the study, children, their families and their kindergarten were divided into three groups:

1. The first group used disinfecting hands to clean hands.

2. The second sample used water and soap with strict protocols.

3. And the third party was a control group that followed its usual routines of hand washing.

The study lasted 8 months, during which the hand disinfectant group recorded 3.25% of lost day care days. The group of water and soap lost 3.9%. The group that followed their usual hand washing routine lost 4.2%.

The study demonstrated the advantages of including a disinfectant in hand washing. The group that used hand sanitizers recorded a 23% decrease in respiratory infections among students, compared to those of the control group that followed the usual guidelines for hand hygiene.

The study also concluded that the group that used water and soap had a 21% higher risk of getting a respiratory infection and a 3% higher prescription of antibiotics than children who used hand sanitizers.