I hesitate to post this, but...

[summerdazies]

So, y'all, like I said, I'm very hesitant to post this as I do not wish to send people into a panic, but at the same time, I am glad that I had this pointed out to me.

It's about hand sanitizers.

Benzethonium chloride - the active ingredient in Wet Ones Wipes and Gold Bond Hand Sanitizing Lotion - is NOT effective against norovirus. I know wikipedia says otherwise, but notice how there isn't a source? Meanwhile, here's a study that says otherwise... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22293670

:\

If anyone can give me evidence that it works, I'll gladly take it. I'd love to know that my Wet Ones wipes will deactivate norovirus. I just don't think they do.

[stephenie.welch]

I dont know, but when my family was sick with noro it worked for.me ..

[jkl81]

No it's good to post that kind of stuff if you know it. From what I hear you're best off with soap and water and hand sanitizer tends to be rather hit or miss.when it comes to norovirus. How about benzalkonium chloride? Same thing or different?

[JellyBn83]

So what does this one mean then?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22897744

[summerdazies]

BenzALKonium chloride does work. BenzETHonium chloride does not.

[JellyBn83]

Well, at least my GermX Advance works!! Oye!

[ewilkins]

I'd just say to rely on good ol' handwashing. It really does work.

[AoD]

Well, it can't hurt to wipe the virus away even if it doesn't kill it (that's what hand washing does anyway, removes it without killing it) so I'd still use the wipes as part of my prevention regimen. From what I heard all the quaternary ammonium molecules aren't effective against noro, but maybe there are some that kinda do work (after all, Lysol brand III is supposed to work and that's the active ingredient).

[ruhligv]

Go to this site: http://www.doitbest.com/Hand+cleaner...sku-620956.dib and you will find that you can buy a case of 12 for $12! I bought 2 cases and had them delivered free to a local Cash and Carry store. The active ingredient is Benzalkonium Chloride which kills noro. I have one in my car, at work, and in every room of my apartment! And they are so cheap!!! You could pay upwards of $5 for a single one the same size! Check it out!

[Quinnee]

Thank you for that bible verse. It came at the right time for me. I am really going through tough times with my phobia. You know how we are, we can be fine when nobody is sick, but as soon as you see someone or hear that someone you love gets sick, it gets real scary. My daughter is sick and I'm terrified of being around her. I want to be the best mother I can be and she is only 10 months old and I want to hold her and be there for her, but I'm soooo scared of the sickness. You're bible verse has helped calm me and help to remember that God is in control and he can get us through any hard time in our life. So thanks again for that; very uplifting.

[kyphie]

I'd just say to rely on good ol' handwashing. It really does work.

Exactly!! ^

[summerdazies]

Absolutely, plain old soap and water are my first choice. It's just frustrating to have to go all the way down the hall if I want to eat a snack in my room or touch up my makeup (I live in a dorm.) Sigh! Some day!

[jotini]

It does say that sodium hypochlorite is effective - which is just regular bleach

[summerdazies]

Yes, bleach works, but I don't think bleaching the hands is a good idea (if it were wouldn't someone have made bleach hand sanitizer?)

[jotini]

or bleach irriates the hands (so does alcohol) but the general consensus amongst scientists is 'let's not give the bacteria/viruses something else to become resistant to' then we'll have nothing left to kill them

[summerdazies]

Wouldn't we already be doing that by using bleach as an all-purpose cleaner?