You’re Probably Using Hand Sanitizer Wrong: Hygiene tips for Mpox, Covid and Flu Season 

The article is from our special issue on Mpox. You can access the full issue here.

Queer spaces are historically cramped, from hole-in-the-wall makeshift burlesque theaters to packed bars you have to squeeze through to get anyone’s attention to that club 100% violating the fire marshal occupancy every Friday night. And a lot of queer nightlife is intentionally cramped, from mixers to DJ pop-ups to circuit parties. But whether you brush up against a plethora of folks by accident or (consensual) choice, a bunch of sweaty bodies in an enclosed space has mpox risks. Cue the hand sanitizer. 

With the rise of cases this fall and how easily mpox is spread by touch, hand sanitizer is clutch when soap and warm water aren’t available. However, most hand sanitizers are just cute bottles of perfume and won’t protect you in the slightest. Here’s what you need to know about hand sanitizers and preventing the spread of mpox. 

Full stop: The best way to protect yourself from mpox is getting vaccinated. (DoxyPEP won’t protect you from mpox as it’s a virus.) If you need a refresher from last year: Mpox is a virus that, according to the CDC, spreads through close or intimate contact with a person or “by direct contact with contaminated items and surfaces used by people with mpox.” Symptoms include painful, itchy blisters that can appear on various parts of the body, from hands and feet to the chest, face and even near genitals and anus; so, it’s recommended to avoid skin-on-skin contact. But that’s impossible to avoid at a club, never mind a circuit party. 

With mpox cases increasing worldwide and the first confirmed case of the new deadlier mpox strain in the U.S., it’s important to consider a second and third line of defense after the vaccine. Because contrary to misinformation, you can be contagious without a visible rash and sometimes days before you have any mpox symptoms. According to the CDC, a person can spread mpox “from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.” 

“You can be infectious before the rash,” said Dr. Nicholas J. Van Sickels, an internal medicine provider in Lexington specializing in infectious diseases. “But we feel the spread of mpox is less common this way. Having the rash is the most common way to spread it, but some people only have a few small bumps and may not notice it. This is why we encourage all in our community to get vaccinated. It is so hard to know even sometimes if you have it!” 

Beyond the vaccine: Wash your hands. According to the CDC, “handwashing is one of the best ways to protect you, your family and your friends from getting sick.”

“Hands touch way more surfaces casually and sexually than genitals ever can,” said Dr. Keisa Fallin-Bennett, a queer provider in Lexington who welcomes LGBTQ+ patients. 

But more often than not, bar bathrooms don’t have the ideal sink setup. Maybe the soap dispenser is out. Maybe it’s freezing water. Maybe folks are having sex on the counter and you can’t get to the sink. That’s when you fall back on hand sanitizer. 

“Soap and water are generally better, but it’s hard to know when you really can’t quantify the soap,” said Fallin-Bennett. “Either way, the key is really getting it on all the surfaces and rubbing them vigorously. Why not wash [your hands] and then use a little sanitizer after?” 

According to the CDC, hand sanitizer should contain at least 60% alcohol. And when using it, you should “put enough sanitizer on your hands to cover all surfaces” and rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds. Yes, 20 seconds. It’s the same amount of time you need to wash your hands with soap and water. 

But how often do we time ourselves with hand sanitizer – especially the trendy spray kind? Smart watches and fitness bands that can detect when you’re washing your hands and time you are great, but these rarely pick up on hand movements when using hand sanitizer. So, it’s on you to count (or sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice) each time you use hand sanitizer or else it’s not that effective. 

And given how long mpox survives on surfaces once touched, you want as much protection as possible from high-touch surfaces like doors, bar stools or even cash tips from a drag performance that may be stuffed close to your body. Is the risk high? No. But mpox cases are increasing this fall in the U.S. and Kentucky. And unlike other STIs and viruses, mpox has so many opportunities to be literally picked up. 

Of course, with more hand sanitizing, especially with the appropriate 20 seconds each time, that’s going to dry out your skin this winter. So, what hand sanitizer won’t wreak havoc on the moisture barrier? 

“None, unfortunately,” said Fallin-Bennett. “Havoc is the definition of alcohol products on dry skin. Use it as a reminder to wash instead whenever that’s available.”

“Also carry some travel lotion,” she added. 

If you need a pocket-sized hand lotion, the all-genders-designed Vitamin B5 Hand Treatment from power gays MALIN+GOETZ has the best bergamot scent. They’re not local queers, but Kentucky-founded luxury chain 21c Museum Hotels stocks the brand in every room. 

The final pro tip for hand sanitizer: Use it at optimal times. If you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, use hand sanitizer after going to the bathroom and before eating and drinking–and that includes before using any utensils, straws and those little black cocktail stirrers that we all awkwardly try to drink out of and love to fidget with when chatting/flirting with folks. Leave the swizzle stick alone. 

And don’t touch your face. No matter what healthy handwashing or hand sanitizer habits you have, what is most often said in tandem with hand hygiene is to keep your hands away from your face. The CDC’s mpox prevention guide advises you to “wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.” 

In other words, before you touch and after you flush. 

The article is from our special issue on Mpox. You can access the full issue here.