We touch our persons countless times every day. Itching in the nose, tired eyes, wiping the mouth with the back of the palm - all this we do without thinking. However, touching your face can significantly increase the risk of influenza viruses or colds, but especially new coronavirus. Your mouth and eyes are areas where viruses can penetrate the body most easily, and all you need is to touch them with a finger that is already carrying infection. Also, touching the skin with dirty hands contributes to the appearance of subcutaneous inflammations on it - they will not be easy to treat them. Explain to you why you need to learn to touch the face and how to do it.
Frightening statistics
Scientists exploring this behavior detect that people constantly touch their faces. In the study "A Study Quantifying the Hand-to-Face Contact Rate and Its Potential Application to Predictory Respirator Tract Infection", each of the 10 participants in the experiment were observed within 3 hours. According to the results, the researchers said that each of the subjects concerned was 16 times in an hour. In another work under the heading "Face Touching: A Frequent Habit That Has Implications for Hand Hygiene", the participants of a similar experiment concerned the face 23 times in an hour. Almost half of the touch of the face affected the mouth, nose or eyes. It was found that even medical workers who need to know simple rules concerned the face 19 times in 2 hours, being inconsistent with respect to proper hand hygiene.
Do not break the hand wash rules
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Mix the hands more often
Take precautions, such as frequent handwashing with a duration of at least 20 seconds, as WHO recommends. However, we so often touch our individuals that the likelihood of re-contamination of our hands between washing is extremely high. Everything you need is to touch the door handle or a similar surface, and you risk to get infected again. "A new ring, jewelry or even a gum around the wrist can serve as a reminder to increase awareness," he suggests Dr. Alex Dimitri in an interview with HealthLine.
Take your hands with something
Photo: unsplash.com.
Place reminders
Stickers, wallpaper on the screen of the phone, trackers habits - all these methods have long been familiar to you can help cope with the desire to touch the face with unwashed hands. Psychiatrist Zakhary Sikora advises: "Keep hands busy. If you are at home watch TV, try cheating underwear, go through mail or keep something in your hands. " No wonder our grandmothers from neurosis used rosary or loved to knit next to the TV. Find your way that answers you from the desire to touch the skin. Doctors also recommend using a flavored disinfectant or soap for hands to remind yourself that you need to keep your hands away from the face. The smell will attract your attention to the location of your hands.