The pandemic that erupted sharply raised the price of disinfectants - literally before our eyes they went up several times. The composition of these drugs includes ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. That is why many rushed to buy vodka and other strong alcohol - because it contains the same alcohol. But are strong drinks so effective compared to antiseptics? In other words, is vodka suitable for disinfection from coronavirus?
The opinions of scientists on this issue were divided. Some thought that it would not be possible to find anything better than soap and antiseptics, while the second argued that vodka from coronavirus is an ideal and easily accessible substitute for sharply expensive alcohol-based disinfectants.
Opinion of WHO and opponents of the use of vodka
First of all, the World Health Organization recommends using traditional disinfectants. These include soap and alcohol-based disinfectants. It is necessary to understand how they act on the coronavirus.
Soap is an alkaline medium. When the coronavirus membrane enters it, it is destroyed, unable to withstand contact with an aggressive environment, and the virus dies. Also, when a person rubs his hands with soap, he simply flushes the coronavirus down the drain, thereby disinfecting more efficiently.
Ethanol, which has long been used in antiseptics, has a similar effect. That's just its concentration in vodka - only forty percent. To destroy the membrane of most viruses, an alcohol concentration of at least 60 percent is required. Only classic alcohol-based disinfectants and only a few varieties of alcoholic beverages have a high concentration.
These types of alcohol can effectively fight the CoVID-19 coronavirus:
- moonshine with a strength of 60 degrees;
- absinthe (from 70 degrees);
- rare varieties of rum (from 60 degrees);
- medical alcohol (95 degrees).
The only problem is that these types of alcohol are either problematic to get, or they will cost fabulously expensive. It is unlikely that anyone will want to wipe their hands with absinthe or Cuban rum.
It is worth noting that alcohol with a strength below 60 degrees can not be considered completely useless. It degreases surfaces, making viruses harder to fix on them.
The opinion of supporters of "vodka disinfection"
Nevertheless, a number of scientists insist that vodka can still be an effective weapon in the fight against coronavirus.
The epidemiologist Ilya Akinfeev said that if an antiseptic is not at hand, then vodka may well become a substitute for it. Yes, it will not be as effective, but it is quite suitable for surface treatment. The only moment: vodka should not be rubbed on the skin, as it can leave burns.
Akinfeev also noted that using alcohol to protect against coronavirus is a bad idea. If a person drinks alcohol, albeit in small doses, then his immunity is significantly weakened, and this greatly facilitates the task of the coronavirus.
Even if a person is already infected with the virus, then treatment with vodka will only prolong the healing process. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of coronavirus vodka is strictly prohibited.
Not without reason, from the beginning of April, in a number of shops they limited the sale of hard liquor so as not to tempt the proponents of the theory of “self-medication”. It is recommended to use vodka only for disinfection of surfaces, it copes with this quite well.
However, a group of doctors from Germany and Switzerland are actively trying to prove that drinks with a forty-degree fortress can be used to destroy the coronavirus. They conducted a series of experiments and found that vodka for virucidal effects was much more effective than the WHO recommended antiseptics based on ethyl alcohol, glycerol and hydrogen peroxide. Although a study by scientists has been criticized by reputable epidemiologists, it is possible that soon WHO will officially recommend the use of vodka for disinfection from coronavirus.