The US is facing a surge in illnesses, including norovirus, COVID-19, and RSV. To combat this “quad-demic,” The Atlantic shares a simple yet effective solution: using soap.
Norovirus, a tiny pathogen just 12 nanometers long, can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea with as few as 100 particles. However, recent studies have shown that regularly washing hands with soap can significantly reduce the risk of infection.
In fact, research from the winter of 2006-07 found that nursing homes equipped with hand sanitizers were more likely to experience outbreaks than those using soap. This is because soap proved more effective in killing norovirus particles.
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/01/soap-hand-sanitizer/681305