While stores and chemists are running out of hand sanitizers here in India, the Ministry of Health in Turkey applauded the ability of cologne to kill the coronavirus.
This has drawn everyone’s attention and we’re all curious to know why Turkey is opting for cologne instead of the good old soaps and hand sanitizers.
Traditionally in Turkey, sprinkling hands with cologne has been an unsaid ritual.
Whenever you go to a barber shop or eat at a restaurant or travel in public transport, offering cologne is seen as a sign of hospitality and as a means to maintain hygiene.
The practice of sanitation and hygiene has been prevalent in Turkey since time immemorial.
Even before cologne existed, rose water was used for cooking, beauty, medicinal and religious purposes in Turkey. While this practice was common even before the pandemic, now the use of cologne has increased exponentially.
The reason for this is the high alcohol content. Cologne is meant to have at least 60% of alcohol and is considered very effective in keeping hands and faces clean.
It’s properties help break down the virus. The particles of the virus that make up covid-19 are spherical in shape and the spike-like structure on their heads are proteins that attack the human cells.
The layer including the spikes has fats and whenever they come in contact with anything that has an alcohol percentage of higher than 60, it kills the virus.
While soaps and sanitizers also do the same, the minimum range of alcohol for cologne is at 60%.
Therefore, due to the pre existing practice of cologne in Turkey and its immense effectiveness, it is being used as the primary weapon to fight the coronavirus.