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Relying solely on antibacterial hand gel

First, check the ingredients in your hand sanitizer: It should contain , ethanol, or isopropanol, to work best. (If alcohol-based sanitizers are not available to you or not allowed in your workplace, alcohol-free products may also be helpful, the CDC says.)

Second, don't replace old-fashioned hand-washing. Hand sanitizers are effective germ killers when a sink is not available, but according to CNN's Sanjay Gupta, MD, there is no research to prove they actually kill viruses. Using soap and water is still your best bet to washing away the flu. And if you are washing your hands correctly, says John M. Barry, author of The Great Influenza, ordinary soap will do the trick.

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