The best and most important step in decontaminating hands when in contact with body fluids is to wash them thoroughly and frequently with soap and warm water.

When regular hand washing isn’t an option, the next best thing is to use a clinically tested hand sanitiser to decontaminate any harmful pathogens on skin. Be aware that alcohol hand gels and foams do not kill Norovirus, also known at the Winter Vomiting Disease.

If the pathogens that you are handling is Norovirus, it is suggested to use tested alcohol-free hand sanitiser that is proven to kill Norovirus, along with any other virus or bacteria that you have been in contact with.

When in contact with body fluids, all PPE should be disposed of immediately into clinical waste when the task has been completed. Hands should still be washed even if you were wearing gloves to ensure maximum decontamination.

You should try to avoid touching any other uncovered part of your body, such as your nose or mouth area when in contact with body fluids. This could lead to further infection. PPE such as masks are recommended to both help with airborne pathogens that can be released from the body fluid.