The alcohol-based hand disinfectants recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) are found to be effective against the novel coronavirus.
This was stated by a team of researchers, the findings published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The researchers informed that they exposed Sars-Cov-2 viruses for 30 seconds to the disinfectant formulations recommended by the WHO.
They tested the viruses in cell culture assays and analysed how many viruses remained infectious.
“The test does not merely apply to the WHO solutions — their main components, the alcohols ethanol and isopropanol, also showed adequate inactivation of the virus,” reported Hindustan Times quoting the research team.
It was further reported that the WHO-recommended consists of 80 volume per cent ethanol, 1.45 volume per cent glycerine and 0.125 volume per cent hydrogen peroxide.
“Disinfectant two consists of 75 volume per cent isopropanol, 1.45 volume per cent glycerine and 0.125 volume per cent hydrogen peroxide,” the research team said.
The WHO says that the most effective way to protect against coronavirus is to frequently clean hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizers or washing them with soap and water.