Does drinking alcohol kill H1N1

Answer 1

If by alcohol you are referring to rubbing alcohol, yes it can render the H1N1 virus inactive ("killed") IF used properly. That means washing a surface area (or your hands) with soap and water or other cleaning solution FIRST. Then briskly wipe down the area with the rubbing alcohol. Keep in mind alcohol works better on bacteria than viruses, and that you must wait until the alcohol has evaporated before an area can be considered "germ free". Also, the recommended waterless gel hand sanitizers contain about 60-65% alcohol. It is best to wash your hands FIRST, but if unable to, the hand sanitizers are effective, but be sure to use a good glob of it, really COAT your hands, paying attention to the tops as well as the nail beds, and not consider your hands "safe" until it has evaporated from the friction of rubbing your hands together briskly long enough for them to feel dry. Friction and the rubbing action are important to physically remove the virus, it is not simply a chemical action that works to remove or render the virus inactive.

Answer 2

No. The virus is mostly in the cells in your lungs and nose and would not be affected by drinking alcohol. Alcohol may also make you get more ill and not recover as fast since the liver does play a role in the immune response. Alcohol is toxic to the liver, so if you drink you are not helping yourself get well as quickly as you might without the alcohol.