Question

Problem #3:
Why do health practitioners recommend us to use 70% alcohol rather than 40% alcohol as a disinfectant to fight the pandemic COVID- 19?

Answer 1

Answer:

Alcohol is known to be harmful to health in general, and is well understood to increase the risk of injury and violence, including intimate partner violence, and can cause alcohol poisoning. At times of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol consumption can exacerbate health vulnerability, risk-taking behaviours, mental health issues and violence. WHO/Europe reminds people that drinking alcohol does not protect them from COVID-19, and encourages governments to enforce measures which limit alcohol consumption.

Busting myths on alcohol and COVID-19

As part of its public health response to COVID-19, WHO has worked with partners to develop a factsheet which addresses myths and provides guidance during the pandemic: “Alcohol and COVID-19: what you need to know”.

Fear and misinformation have generated a dangerous myth that consuming high-strength alcohol can kill the COVID-19 virus. It does not. Consuming any alcohol poses health risks, but consuming high-strength ethyl alcohol (ethanol), particularly if it has been adulterated with methanol, can result in severe health consequences, including death.

Answer 2

$70$% alcohol is the perfect combination of alcohol and water to cross a cell membrane, thereby attacking the entire cell and killing the bacteria.

Explanation:

Isopropyl alcohol $70$% is pure isopropanol diluted with $30$% purified water by volume.

The benefits of using $70$% alcohol are:

• Coagulation of proteins on the surface of the cell takes place slowly, thereby permitting the alcohol to enter the cell.
• Since $70$% alcohol is a dilution of absolute alcohol, the water contained in it is essential for the denaturing process of proteins.
• Due to the difference in concentration of both water and alcohol on two sides of the cell wall, $70$% alcohol enters the cell to denature both structural and enzymatic proteins. This further increases the effectiveness of its antimicrobial properties.
• The CDC recommends $70$% for disinfecting household and routine cleaning to fight the pandemic COVID-19