Feb 5, 2007
How to Sneeze
Kleenex is out, disposable arm bands are not yet de rigeur, so what’s the alternative when you just have to sneeze or cough? Use your sleeve, that’s what. It’s the most effective way to reduce the spread of cold and flu viruses. Coughing into the open air without covering your mouth simply releases a myriad of viral and bacterial particles into the air around you. If there’s no one else around that’s not so bad, but just picture those droplets of spittle and snot flying in the video we’re going to show you here and you’ll think again.
Perhaps worse than open-air sneezing is inappropriate Kleenex use. If you don’t cover your nose and mouth properly then you might as well not bother. Coughing or sneezing into your hand is worse still. Germs will contaminate your hands, you touch a door knob or handle food and those germs get transferred to the next person who touches said objects. The video, which comes from the Maine Medical Association suggests your sleeve is the way forward. Cough or sneeze on to your sleeve and the germs will simply dry out and die.
It’s not just a matter of avoiding the sniffles, if we’re heading for a major viral epidemic from bird flu or something worse then the advice in this video could save lives. Listen to what the panel of experts - Polly Morph, Graham Stain, Blood Hagar - have to say. There’s a useful science fair project that can help you answer the question, “Does covering your mouth stop germs spreading?” and if you’re after more advice on how to avoid colds and flu check out the Sciencebase FAQ on the subject.
For advice on how to stop a sneeze, check out this site.
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Sian said,
February 5, 2007 at 7:42 pm
This is sooooo gross. What do you do with all the boogers that land on your sleeve?
sally said,
September 23, 2007 at 1:52 am
eewwwwwwwwwww thats gross that they stay on ur sleve
David Bradley said,
October 17, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Recent research suggests that the spread of influenza could be an underlying risk factor for schizophrenia and autism, given that incidence of these disorders are higher among people born during the winter and spring months and that the association is second trimester respiratory tract infection in pregnant women.
David Bradley said,
December 19, 2007 at 5:15 pm
A perennial question from Sciencebase visitors is, “Does covering the mouth really help prevent the spread of germs?” Well, it most certainly does, but not if you cover your mouth with your bare hand and then proceed to touch door handles and, perish the thought, shake hands with other people!
db
sammii said,
March 20, 2008 at 11:01 pm
OMG ewww and i have to do that for an assignment
haha its a bit funny if you think about it hehe
but yea i no im not goning to be doing that ha
sammii said,
March 20, 2008 at 11:04 pm
that is sooo grose
i need to do an asssingment ha
i already said that but all well
i would have thought that doing that would spread more germs
David Bradley said,
March 21, 2008 at 9:27 am
Sammii, I don’t think sneezing into your sleeve is as gross (note spelling) as sneezing straight into the air. You don’t have to let the snot cover your shoulder do you, there are ways and means!
db
sammii said,
March 22, 2008 at 2:57 am
ok David
you have a point it would be more gross 2 sneez into the air hehe
yea its just that wouldnt the snot dry out ns stay ,well thats wot i thought it would b!!!
hehe
keep commenting its fun coz im bored
xx sammii