- A new study indicates that using air hand dryers to dry your hands may spread germs more than paper towels.
- Previous studies have also found that air hand dryers can blow bacteria from bathroom air back onto your hands.
- Experts say that proper handwashing is still the most important action we can take to prevent transmitting COVID-19.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have turned to touch-free methods to cut down on opportunities for spreading germs.
For example, many restaurants now provide a QR code for viewing their menu on your smartphone in lieu of traditional paper menus.
In addition, many business restrooms use hand dryers rather than paper towels.
However, according to a new study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the latter may not be as effective as we might think it is.
High-speed air dryers may actually leave more contamination on your hands than paper towels do.
In addition, they may spread germs onto your clothes, leading to more of them being transferred to other surfaces.
Source: healthline