Touching face and catching flu
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Touching face and catching flu
We go over a few ways you can catch, or avoid catching, the seasonal and swine fluThe average person touches his or her face 16 days every hour, according to research read by Virginia Tech professor and immunologist Dr. Klaus Elgert.
If it’s a germ, chances are Elgert has studied it.
He says the fact many of us touch our face so often contributes to our chances of picking up germs and viruses such as the flu.
“If your eye itches, the blood vessels beneath the eyes are very close to the surface,“ Elgert explains.
So, if you’ve touched something containing a germ, or say the flu, the virus can enter your blood stream through the vessels in your eyes.
You can also allow germs into your body through your nose, mouth, but not your ears, Elgert says.
There’s also the so-called “ten foot rule,“ that you can breath in germs after someone has coughed or sneezed if you are within ten feet of them.
Reader Reactions
Agreed touching the face is a huge germ spreader—My child came home from school saying that they learned to cough and sneeze into their elbow with Germy Wormie, and I was totally taken aback. I always covered with my hands. But I went to the website and now I get it, hands touch, elbows don’t!! Kids can touch 300 surfaces in 1/2 hour and they hate to wash their hands. This is a simple thing that can make a huge difference. There is also an entertaining DVD that teaches them in a fun way the elbow cough, as well as other important hygiene habits (as mentioned in this article).
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