By Josefa Paganuzzi, Thompson & Bender for NYP-Lawrence Hospital

Dec. 16, 2020: The coronavirus has proven deadly, but it can also be defeated with something as simple as soap suds. Handwashing with soap kills the coronavirus and why it’s the best defense against the spread of COVID-19.  

“Soap molecules disrupt the fatty layer or coat surrounding the virus, ” says Dr. David Goldberg, an internist and infectious disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “ Once the viral coat is broken down, the virus is no longer able to function.” 

The best way to protect yourself from the coronavirus remains avoiding exposure and helping to prevent its spread. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages social distancing, wearing a face mask in public places, and, of course, handwashing with soap. 

“Contaminated hands are one of the most important means of spread,” says Dr. Goldberg. “If you get the virus on your hands and touch your face, you can become infected. Also, if you touch someone else or some object which is then touched by someone else, the hands of that person can become contaminated, leading to further spread.” 

In addition to soap and water, there’s one more thing to consider: time. That’s why the 20 seconds of handwashing with soap is so important. You work up a good lather, allowing the soap to do its magic. “The soap molecules need some time to react with the viral coat and break it up,” says Dr. Goldberg. “The process is reasonably fast, but it’s not instantaneous.” 

Click here to see a video that provides detailed information of how soap and water works to kill the coronavirus.

Picture courtesy NYP-Lawrence Hospital

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