Dr Hilary Jones revealed what washing your hands actually does to coronavirus as he urged people to keep doing it as the pandemic continues to claim lives in the UK.
'Wash your hands for 20 seconds' was one of the first rules issued by the Government as coronavirus first hit the UK, with PM Boris Johnson telling the country to do just that on numerous occasions.
And now, as the Prime Minister himself was hospitalised after contracting COVID-19, Dr Hilary reminded people how important it is that they still continue washing their hands all the time.
After being questioned on how that helps combat coronavirus, Dr Hilary explained: "The detergent kills off the fatty layer on the outside of the virus.
"The virus is a little protein molecule and it is protected by a fatty layer on the outside. Detergent and soap in hot water reduces that fatty layer and kills off the virus; well you can't kill it, but it helps it to decay.
"So that's why we say wash your hands for 20 seconds as it not actually just washes the virus off your hands, it helps to destroy what is there."
