Can hand-washing and hand-sanitizing really prevent infection?
Yes they can! Soap and water and alcohol-based hand-sanitizer have been shown to kill the virus. The influenza virus is transmitted by droplets expelled through sneezing and coughing. When a person who is infected sneezes or coughs, hundreds of droplets loaded with virus are sprayed over a wide area. These droplets can land anywhere. Some you may breathe in, and they will enter your lungs where the virus will start causing damage immediately. Others can land on the infected person’s hands or on inanimate objects where the virus will shortly die as the droplets dry off; however, if you should touch these objects before the virus has died and then bring your hand to your mouth and/or nose then you may also become infected. It is suggested that a person who is infected wash their hands frequently to prevent transmission and that the rest of us should do the same to decrease the chance of picking it up.
