How soap annihilates a virus
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Viruses are a package of nucleic acid bundled inside a collection of lipids and proteins which can include a fat-based viral envelope – soap can destroy a virus from your hands before it can lead to infection
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Infection: Studies show that people on average touch their faces 23 times per hour, including 10 contacts with eyes, nose or mouth – infection points of coronavirus
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Soap molecule: Can mix with both water and oils and fatty acids (lipids)
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Hydrophilic polar head binds with water

Hydrophobic tail binds with grease and lipids

Virus genome

Protective lipid envelope

Soap molecules in water bind to lipid envelope...

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Sars-CoV-2 virus

Protein spikes 
Virus relies on spike to enter human cell and replicate
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Destruction of virus takes at least 20 seconds

Hand sanitizers: Vigorous hand-clean with alcohol-based sanitiser with alcohol concentration of at least 60% is good alternative


...breaking down fragile envelope. Viral particles are washed away by water
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Sources: American Journal of Infection Control, RNZ
Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS