Hand Washing May Not Prevent H1N1
September 24, 2009 by Cherie Burbach
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
For the last several months, health officials have told us that frequent hand washing might be one way we can help prevent the H1N1 virus. While everyone from office workers to school children has been told to wash their hands several times a day, new reports have surfaced that showed that some schools with diligent hand washing rules still had massive outbreaks of H1N1.
Health officials agree that hand washing can help with many diseases like the common cold. But for the flu? Especially the H1N1 virus? Not so much. However, health officials still say hand washing is important, as it can help with “transmission of other respiratory diseases.”
Image: sxc.hu.
According to the CDC alcohol hand washes with over 60% alcohol do not kill all viruses, many in fact, but they do kill the flu family of viruses as . It’s just that hand washing only helps prevent cross contamination; you can still pick the flu up from a surface or person after washing your hands.