In everyday life, cough or sneeze are common physiological phenomena, but there is a misunderstanding among many as to how to properly cover their noses and noses, as to how “hand cover is better when coughing or sneezing than paper towels or elbows”, but this is completely wrong.
When we cough or sneeze, we produce a lot of foam. They may contain pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, such as influenza virus, new coronavirus and pneumococcus. If you cover it with your hands, it’ll be attached to your hands. And our hands are exposed to a lot of things in everyday life, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, mobile phones, etc. As a result, pathogens on hand are easily transmitted to these objects, and those who subsequently come into contact with them may be infected. In the office environment, for example, a staff member who uses a hand-covered cough can be exposed to pathogens when he or she comes into contact with public office supplies, thereby causing a disease to spread.
In contrast, the use of paper towels is much more hygienic. Paper towels can effectively block the foam and can be discarded in time for use, avoiding further transmission of pathogens. When selecting paper towels, use, to the extent possible, better-quality paper towels, which are not easily broken, to ensure their deterrent effect. When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with paper towels, which are then folded and thrown into a trash can, a process that is simple and effective in reducing the spread of pathogens.
It’s also a very good way to hide with your elbow. The elbows are less frequently exposed to other items than their hands. When we cover our elbows with coughs or sneezes, the pathogen, even if attached to its clothing, has a significantly reduced reach and probability, as the elbows do not touch objects as often as their hands do. For example, in public transport, the use of elbow shielding can prevent to some extent the spread of foam to the surrounding passengers, while also reducing the pollution of insider facilities.
Based on the actual cases of disease transmission, concentrated infections can easily be triggered in high-population places such as schools, hospitals, etc., if people are used to covering their hands. As students share classrooms, chairs, stationery, etc., medical personnel have frequent access to medical equipment and patients, and pathogens on hand can easily spread between these items, thereby infecting more people. By promoting the use of paper towels or elbows, however, this transmission route can be effectively cut off and the risk of infection reduced.
In special situations, such as restaurants, food-processing workshops, it is even less desirable to use a hand cover. Because these places are closely related to food, if the pathogen is contaminated with the hand, they can easily contaminate the food and lead to diseases among the predators or consumers. This can be avoided to the greatest extent possible by using paper towels or elbow masks.
So, how do you get the right cough or sneeze? First, it is necessary to raise its own health awareness and to understand the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of covering up. In day-to-day life, paper towels are carried with them for occasional needs. When there are no tissues, remember to cover your elbows. For children, parents and teachers need to strengthen their education and guidance, so that they can learn the right way to hide through demonstration, talk, etc. In public places, posters can be posted to remind people to use the right cover and create a good public health climate.
In short, the use of a hand cover when coughing or sneezing is a wrong and unhygienic act, and a paper towel or elbow cover is the right choice. Each of us should change our misconceptions and develop good hygiene practices to protect ourselves and others ‘ health.
