Those New Air-Dryers Are Strong, But They May Be Spreading Germs
With the recent concerns over the spread of the Coronavirus, not to mention the ongoing fight to avoid the flu, there's been an uptick in hand washing--always a great idea. When you're in public places, you've probably seen and used one of these new, super-powerful hand air-dryers. They get your hands dried quickly, for sure, but there's a concern.
What seems to be a pretty straight-forward, fast, and eco-friendly way to dry your hands after washing them may have a significant down-side.
Unfortunately, recent studies reveal that these hot-air hand dryers may be spreading germs. One reason? When you put your hands near them, or in them, they're still wet.
A recent article from The Cleveland Clinic's website shares this insight from Dr. Theresa Lash-Ritter:
“We often say that handwashing is the key to preventing the spread of illness. But wet hands increase the risk of transmitting bacteria, so drying is an equally important step in prevention,” says urgent care specialist Theresa Lash-Ritter, MD.
The best way to dry your hands without spreading germs? The low-tech, but ever effective paper towel.
If you want to dig in to the dirty details, learn more here.