I don’t know about you, but the coronavirus crisis has made me acutely aware of how many times in the day I touch my face without realising it! The World Health Organisation (WHO) tells us that one of the most important precautions we can take is resisting the urge to touch our faces with our hands to avoid the transmission of the virus, given that we touch all kinds of surfaces through the day. The virus can survive for days on door handles, buttons, faucets, valves, bannisters, etc. and can be transferred to our mouths, noses and eyes through our fingers and hands when we touch them.
But that’s easier said than done. Since most of us aren’t even aware we’re doing it, when we do it, touching the face is a difficult habit to kick.
Still, you can help yourself with some reminders and tips and tricks to work around the situations where you find yourself touching your face. Here’s how:
1. Keep a box of tissues handy at all times. It’s not just enough to cover your nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, go one step further and grab a tissue every time you want to scratch your nose, adjust your glasses, or your face feels itchy. The tissue will create a barrier between your skin and fingertips, and make you aware of just how many times you find yourself touching your face.
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2. Switch your lenses with glasses for the time being. Contact lenses can sometimes dry the eyes out, especially if you spend most of your time in front of the screen. Dry eyes means you’re likely to rub them more often, allowing the virus to enter your system. Wearing glasses will keep you aware every time you reach towards your eyes with your hands. Also, keep eye drops around, if you’re prone to dry eyes.
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3. If you tend to touch your face as a nervous tick, or while thinking about something, consciously start keeping your hands occupied with other activities. Fidget spinners and stress balls are excellent for this purpose. A word of caution, though: make sure you sanitise these objects every few hours. And don’t share!
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4. Using scented soaps and sanitisers might help as well -- the perfume might jolt you into realising what you’re doing every time your fingers approach your face.
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5. Sneeze or cough into your elbow, not your hand. In case you can’t grab a tissue in time to cover an oncoming sneeze or cough, direct your sneeze or cough into your elbow instead of hand. Sneezing into the hand increases the chances of infected people passing the virus onto objects and people around them. Elbows have lesser physical contact with others.
Image Courtesy - Pixabay
Finally, ultimately, it boils down to personal hygiene. Like the WHO has repeatedly said, washing your hands thoroughly is the most important and effective measure. Remember, as long as your hands are clean, touching your face is not going to cause some major catastrophe! Don’t panic, and just focus on going about your day being more mindful of all kinds of physical contact.
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