Wuhan virus.

[Suff]

A decent hand sanitiser will do in seconds what a minute of washing with soap will not.

Hard on the hands but also hard on germs.

There is also the problem of sneezing. For that you need a mask, to protect your eyes and to disinfect the face. The eyes are porous to virus droplets.

Most advice is useless. If you are not in the presence of someone obviously suffering flu like symptoms, then hand sanitation will do. If you are then it is a whole other level of protection needed.

[saundra]

I am not reading any more articles in the DM
Scares me to death

[JoM]

A decent hand sanitiser will do in seconds what a minute of washing with soap will not.

That's if you can actually find any, at a normal price, to buy.
I always use Boots antiviral hand foam and I have a couple of spares but thought I'd get a couple more seeing as me and Joe are in the at risk category for anything like this, but I've just been around Stafford and every single shop I've been in, be it a chemist, supermarket or even Primark where they usually have loads of sanitiser at the tills, is completely sold out of any kind.

Of course, there's plenty on Ebay at ridiculous prices.

[Workingman]

Jo, you can make your own from pure Aloe vera gel (Superdrug), vodka, cheapest, any place, tea tree and lavender oils (Home Bargains).

So, in a large enough bottle / jar its 60 ml aloe : 30 ml voddy +15 drops Tea tree + 15 drops lavender . Give a shake and transfer to your old 100ml dispenser. You could swap the voddy with isopropyl alcohol from a chemist, but iso alcohol can be a bit harsh and might need a tsp of glycerine, and the best part(s) about the voddy are 1. It contains distilled water which in itself is purificant and 2. you can drink any left overs with a nice tonic.

[Kaz]

It's impossible to find hand gel anywhere in Gloucester - my friend Emma tried She wanted it for her mum, a very active 89 year old who uses the local buses a lot. I found a spare bottle for her - I had several as I always carry it in the winter to keep colds at bay.

[Suff]

I use Lidl or primark usually.

But I understand people are panic buying masks and stuff.

[Workingman]

On Friday when I was shopping it was available, but since the news of two cases in Leeds it has all gone. On Monday I called in the chemist to pick up a prescription - none, same in Asda. No masks anywhere, but I have handkerchiefs.

Soo.... Alcohol free versions contain chemicals suspected of causing neurological or hormonal problems (triclosan or benzo alkoids) so I personally would avoid them. To make a 'theatre' grade sanitiser you need isopropyl alcohol or ethanol and glycerol in a ratio upwards of of 7:1 v/v.

Today I ordered 1.25l 'theatre' grade making stuff from an auction site for £11.88. and I'll plop in drops of lavender and peppermint oils to make it smell gorgeous.

[Kaz]

I use Lidl or primark usually.

But I understand people are panic buying masks and stuff.

The problem with masks is they only work short-term, as once they are damp from your breath they are useless. That's according to the medical people in my extended family

[Workingman]

Quite agree. The face masks. and that is all they are, will stop the wearer's snot and droplets from getting into the air, to some degree, and from that point of view they are worthwhile just in case the wearer is already infected with the likes of cold and flu, but if they are then they should probably stay at home anyway. They do not stop stuff getting in, they are not designed to.

To stop stuff getting in takes a filter and the mask has to make a seal on the face around the nose and mouth. Anyone who has ever used one will tell you that breathing in a filtered mask is hard work. Goggles would also be needed. For full protection we would all need military grade NBC suits and full-face filtered masks and that is impracticable.

[Suff]

I have work masks which mould to the face and have an exhalation valve to allow the air out without breathing out through the mask itself.

But it is not really overly effective.