Coronavirus versus 70% Alcohol: Comments and Some Fundamental Definitions

Augusto Gonzaga Oliveira Freitas; Caroline Raquel Bender; Giancarlo Belmonte

doi:10.1590/s2175-979020222e20332

Authors

Augusto Gonzaga Oliveira Freitas Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Itaqui, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1607-1861
Caroline Raquel Bender Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Itaqui, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Giancarlo Belmonte Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology Farroupilha (IFFar), Alegrete, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/s2175-979020222e20332

Keywords:

SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, 70% ethanol

Abstract

The new coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is a global problem that is having severe impacts on health systems worldwide. One particular characteristic of this virus is its high transmission rate, which has led to a high demand for personal care materials such as masks, gloves, and alcohol for asepsis. Seventy percent is the ideal concentration for the ethanol used in hand sanitizers; however, this concentration can be expressed in different ways, and, consequently, the different solutions will have different antiseptic activity. In this manuscript we comment on some characteristics of alcohol-based preparations and the different ways of expressing the concentrations.

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References

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