3 ms·

My kids have been coming back from school with the backs of their hands bleeding because they're so dry from being forced to constantly use sanitiser all day. T

My kids have been coming back from school with the backs of their hands bleeding because they're so dry from being forced to constantly use sanitiser all day. This is because government guidelines have not been updated since it became clear that it's not transmitted by contact. We've had to tell them to use the smallest amount possible, and only on their palms.

skinkestek 5y ago
As far as I'm aware the only reason to use hand sanitizer is because soap (which is more effective - again AFAIK but this has been told since the start) is even more damaging do the skin when done often.
- zo1 5y ago
  Let's not forget the incredible "convenience" factor of waterless hand sanitizer. Who needs a pesky basin, soap & running water when you can just spray this magical liquid on your hands and be done in a jiffy.
aspaviento 5y ago
The purpose of the sanitizer is not to prevent contagion by contact, it's for you to make sure that your hands are clean before touching your face (mouth, nose, eyes). That's how you get infected, the virus get onto your hands for whatever reason and you touch your face. So technically it's true it's not transmitted by contact directly but it does indirectly.
- ascorbic 5y ago
  Yes, I understand that, but that's still a vanishingly rare route of transmission. The way you get infected is by inhaling aerosols.
jakeogh 5y ago
Really? So... where do the guardians of these children draw the line? There's no line... just say it. The "gov mandate" conditioning is so well tested through history. Kids, highest risk group for this flu virus... right? Psychologically, they are, and I think you know that.
Tor3 5y ago
> [..] since it became clear that it's not transmitted by contact. That'll need a reference. It's only a few weeks since a worker was infected in a one-person workshop[1], from the guy working there two days earlier. Testing showed that it was the exact same (rare) virus strain and the only explanation was that the second guy got infected from using the same tools as the first guy (not infected _through_ the hands of course, but presumably by touching his face afterwards. As one does). (Keeping surfaces clean is the most important part, otherwise you'll have to clean your hands every time you touch something. As for myself I've become very self-conscious about what I touch.) [1]https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=no&tl=en&u=https://www.nrk.no/trondelag/smittet-person-med-sorafrikansk-variant-av-korona-_-mottes-aldri-1.15434431 https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=no&tl=en&u=https:/...
- graeme 5y ago
  Very interesting, thanks. Though it remains exceedingly rare so far as we can tell.
- kevinmchugh 5y ago
  Assuming they did good contact tracing here and found that it really was the only way this guy was exposed, we're talking about a vanishingly rare route to infection. The article calls it one in a million infections. I think it might be rarer than that.
- ascorbic 5y ago
  Sure. When I said "not transmitted by contact" I should have said "rarely transmitted by contact". It has become clear that the overwhelming majority of transmisson is through aerosols indoors. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-r... https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4

skinkestek 5y ago

As far as I'm aware the only reason to use hand sanitizer is because soap (which is more effective - again AFAIK but this has been told since the start) is even more damaging do the skin when done often.

zo1 5y ago
Let's not forget the incredible "convenience" factor of waterless hand sanitizer. Who needs a pesky basin, soap & running water when you can just spray this magical liquid on your hands and be done in a jiffy.

aspaviento 5y ago

The purpose of the sanitizer is not to prevent contagion by contact, it's for you to make sure that your hands are clean before touching your face (mouth, nose, eyes). That's how you get infected, the virus get onto your hands for whatever reason and you touch your face. So technically it's true it's not transmitted by contact directly but it does indirectly.

ascorbic 5y ago
Yes, I understand that, but that's still a vanishingly rare route of transmission. The way you get infected is by inhaling aerosols.

jakeogh 5y ago

Really? So... where do the guardians of these children draw the line? There's no line... just say it. The "gov mandate" conditioning is so well tested through history. Kids, highest risk group for this flu virus... right? Psychologically, they are, and I think you know that.

Tor3 5y ago

> [..] since it became clear that it's not transmitted by contact. That'll need a reference. It's only a few weeks since a worker was infected in a one-person workshop[1], from the guy working there two days earlier. Testing showed that it was the exact same (rare) virus strain and the only explanation was that the second guy got infected from using the same tools as the first guy (not infected _through_ the hands of course, but presumably by touching his face afterwards. As one does). (Keeping surfaces clean is the most important part, otherwise you'll have to clean your hands every time you touch something. As for myself I've become very self-conscious about what I touch.) [1]https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=no&tl=en&u=https://www.nrk.no/trondelag/smittet-person-med-sorafrikansk-variant-av-korona-_-mottes-aldri-1.15434431 https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=no&tl=en&u=https:/...

graeme 5y ago
Very interesting, thanks. Though it remains exceedingly rare so far as we can tell.
kevinmchugh 5y ago
Assuming they did good contact tracing here and found that it really was the only way this guy was exposed, we're talking about a vanishingly rare route to infection. The article calls it one in a million infections. I think it might be rarer than that.
ascorbic 5y ago
Sure. When I said "not transmitted by contact" I should have said "rarely transmitted by contact". It has become clear that the overwhelming majority of transmisson is through aerosols indoors. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-r... https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00251-4