Hand hygiene | Our hand-washing and hand-sanitising protocols

Did you know?

• How effective are soap and hydroalcoholic gel against viruses?

  Washing hands with soap and water breaks down the virus and prevents it from penetrating the cells, making it inactive. The soap also clears the skin of virus fragments as it does with all other dirt.

  Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is composed of alcohol dissolved in water (60% to 90% by volume) which denatures certain proteins in the viral envelope, making the virus unable to enter a cell. On the other hand, unlike soap which "cleans", hydroalcoholic gel is not effective on dirty hands. Alcohol is deactivated by the presence of too much fat on the skin (visible stains). The hydroalcoholic gel should be used on dry, non-soiled and woundless skin.

  The World Health Organization recommends handwashing with soap and water whenever it is possible (thanks to an access to water and soap) and the use of hydroalcoholic gel in other situations, especially when you are on a trip.

• Why the need to wash your hands for 30 seconds?

  Washing duration is key to an effective hand washing. The more often and the longer you wash your hands, the higher the rate of elimination of microorganisms becomes. It is therefore essential to take the time and wash your hands at least 30 seconds. This enables you to cover all surfaces of your hands thoroughly, such as between fingers.

• Why dry your hands well?

  After a thorough washing and a quality rinsing, it is necessary to finish with effective hand drying. Indeed, drying your hands is very important because it removes any dirt residues and moisture from the skin. You should know that most of microorganisms are transmitted by wet hands.