Coronavirus Prevention: How to Break the Habit of Touching Your Face and Avoid Getting Infected in the Wake of COVID-19
While COVID-19 can spread mostly by inhaling droplets, some pathogens land on surfaces that we continuously come in contact. Now that we know that touching the face can be extremely dangerous, how do we break the habit that most of us didn't know we had?
With the outbreak of COVID-19, healthcare professionals are continually urging people to refrain from touching their faces. From turning doorknobs to picking up objects, we always touch surfaces contaminated with pathogens. Quite ironically, it took a whole coronavirus outbreak episode to make us realise how often we touch our face. According to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, on average, people touch their faces more than 20 times in an hour. We know it is tough, but these little tricks will help you keep your hands away from your face each day.
Keep Your Hands Busy
Keeping your hands occupied with objects such as stress ball can significantly reduce your instances of touching your face. That said, you need to sanitise the object you are regularly touching. You could also place your hands in your lap, so you are not bringing them to your face. Coronavirus Outbreak: Elderly People Are Most Vulnerable To COVID-19, Here's How to Protect Them from the Deadly Disease.
Keep a Box of Tissues Handy
If you feel the need to scratch, itch or rub your nose, or adjust your glasses, grab a tissue and use it to reach your face instead of your bare fingers. When you want to sneeze, aim your sneeze into your elbow rather than your hands, if you do not have a tissue. You will be more likely to pass on the germs to other people when you sneeze into your hands.
Identify Triggers
Once you are aware of when and why you a touching your face, you can address the root cause of the problem. Use moisturising drops if you continuously tend to rub your dry eyes. Wear glasses instead of contact lenses can discourage you from rubbing your eyes. Beware of your actions if you are using your hands as a chin rest or to adjust your hair. Coronavirus Outbreak: Can COVID-19 Spread Through Reusable Cups and Bottles That You Carry To The Gym? Here's How to Keep Them Germ-Free.
Wear Masks
While masks may not be a sure shot way to prevent the COVID-19 infection, it can be quite helpful in providing a physical barrier against the nose or mouth. Coronavirus Prevention: How to Keep Your Hands Germ-Free? Dos and Don’ts of Using a Hand Sanitiser for Protection Against COVID-19.
Using a scented soap or a lotion could also make you more aware of your actions when you bring them near your face. Putting Post-it notes on your desktop and around the house can also serve as helpful reminders.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 16, 2020 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).