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Which is better: Soap or hand sanitizer? - Alex Rosenthal and Pall Thordarson

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TEDEd Animation

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Your hands, up close, are anything but smooth. With peaks and valleys, folds and rifts, there are plenty of hiding places for a virus to stick. If you then touch your face, the virus can infect you. But there are two extraordinarily simple ways you can keep that from happening: soap and water, and hand sanitizer. So which is better? Alex Rosenthal and Pall Thordarson investigate.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

The statement, “wash your hands,” has been in the mainstream media these past few months. Why should you wash your hands so often, and exactly how effective is this habit at preventing the flu and the coronavirus? Hand sanitizer is often an alternative to hand washing with soap and water. Which process is more effective? How does this all work?

There are many ways that germs can spread. It is always a good idea to get a quick review of different ways germs can get left behind and potentially affect another person. Watch this TED Ed lesson: How do germs spread, and find out how you can prevent sharing your germs with another person.

Still want to learn a bit more on how exactly soap kills the coronavirus? This lesson will give your more information.

Does all this coronavirus talk cause you anxiety? There are ways to combat that nervousness and it helps to remember that you are not alone in this. Visit this blog post and find out some methods to alleviate some of that stress.

Would a video on exactly how to wash your hands help? Watch this Hand -washing Steps using the WHO Technique.

Chemistry is really cool. How can soap actually kill the coronavirus? It’s science! Watch this video: Can Soap REALLY Kill the CoronaVirus?

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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Pall Thordarson, Alex Rosenthal
  • Director Igor Coric
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Igor Coric
  • Animator Igor Coric
  • Art Director Igor Coric
  • Compositor Igor Coric
  • Sound Designer Weston Fonger
  • Music Weston Fonger
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Joseph Isaac
  • Special Thanks Kim Preshoff

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