Because hand sanitizer isn't as effective against norovirus, you'll need to properly wash your hands in order to protect yourself. According to the CDC , that means: Wash your hands with soap and ...

Store shelves stripped bare of hand sanitizer. Hard-to-find face masks selling at a premium online. Grocery store customers filling their shopping carts to the brim.

Toxic hand sanitizers became an alarming problem in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for the germ-fighting gels skyrocketed and manufacturers rushed products to market.

Hand sanitizers have come under scrutiny lately with more than 50 brands now recalled by Health Canada. But they're still safe and effective when made and used properly, Canadian experts say.