Due to the shortage of flu shots, they've been handing out hand sanitizer by the barrel-full at my office. I've not yet had the heart to tell them that an anti-bacterial soap isn't going to do much against a virus.

(But at least we won't get bacterial meningitis - yay!)

Ran into Sheena over at the Kommisar's. She's really getting some miles on her

Actually hand santizer is usually just alcohol in a gel. Alcohol is capable of inactivating some viruses, not sure about the flu though. I think that influenza is an enveloped virus so alcohol probably works. But I think the flu can be transmitted by cough aerosols over a short distance anyway. However hand sanatizers are kinda silly for things like colds and the flu since most people probably scratch their face and their nose or chew on a pen etc. within 5 minutes of using it and simply recontaminate themselves. I seriously doubt that hand santizers make any real dent in the communication of many diseases unless you do what doctors are supposed to do and wash hands/sanatize directly before interacting with every single patient. And even that is not so great for the cold virus which can remain active on surfaces for long periods ( around 30 min ) of time and are passed by touch and inoculation of your nose. In addition a cold virus generally only requires a small innoculation to cause an infection. So in addition to your hand sanatizer you should wash every single object that may have been touched by someone else with a 70% alcohol solution and a 10% bleach solution and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then you'll be safe, might slow things down though.

Sheena's getting miles. Hah! Funny.

Seriously, germs, viri(?) ok, viruses, cooties, whatever. Come on people, was your hands. cover youth mouth. Stay at home if you're sick and give the rest of us a break.

Rae, this is the only place I could find to vent my frustration with inconsiderate sick people who spread their germs.

I was told a long time ago by a dermatologist that using anti-bacterial soap isn't necessary, just washing your hands vigorously with soap and water, and especially before food prep or consumption, should be enough. However, as a faucet isn't always available and as I have been, as of late, spending a lot of time at the public library, hand-santizer is the next best thing.

I beg your pardon, Jeff. Sheena isn't that kind of jungle queen.

Patrick, I so know what you are talking about and gripe accepted. I hate walking K into Sunday School and there is some child with pea-green, thick "stuff" sliding out of his nose and he is hacking like a lifetime smoker. I typically opt to keep her with me when I see that, but I can't understand why the parent doesn't just stay home. One Sunday missed won't send you to hell in a handbasket.

Anti bacterial soap is like marketing "cholesterol free" peanut butter. Rae is right don't pay extra for special soap. Just wash. By the way, washing is effective against potential virus infection, killing some and the washing helps with mechanical removal of any pathogen as well. If you want a good laugh just ask a chemist about anti bacterial soap.