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Episode Transcription
This is Susie Craig from Food Safety in a Minute.
Viruses are different from bacteria in that they aren’t living organisms. Once a virus exits an infected person they can be transferred to others, often easily on hands and surfaces, including clothes. Alone, on surfaces, they do not cause infection. They need a host, us. Some viruses cause gastrointestinal disease, others such as Covid-19 cause respiratory illness entering via the respiratory system.
Hand washing with soap changes the structure of viruses. Viruses have an outer, protective covering often referred to as an envelope. According to scientists, soap breaks up the envelope of the virus so it can’t infect us. Additionally, as you wash your hands, the lather, scrubbing and rinsing physically removes the pathogens from your skin.
For Food Safety in a Minute, this is Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension.