Hand washing is considered critical for infection control. There is no controversy here.
But what is the most effective way to dry hands without spreading germs?
That question has led to battles between people who champion air dryers and those who prefer paper towels. The latest skirmish in this battle occurred at the European Tissue Symposium.
An infection control physician at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals in Leeds, England, had volunteers wash their gloved hands in yogurt to contaminate them with nontoxic bacteria. They then dried their hands with paper towels, warm air dryers or jet air dryers. The powerful jet air dryers blew a lot of bacteria up to a meter away.
Black Paint Test
In a follow-up test volunteers used black paint and wore disposable white suits. After using the jet air dryers, the suits were covered with around 230 visible spots. Warm air dryers produced 130 spots while there were none visible after drying with paper towels.
Although intriguing, the results need to be confirmed with other studies that may more realistically mimic the risk of infection.
