Did You Know? You Touch Your Face At Least 16 Times In An Hour

Yes, you heard it right!

We all do it. We touch our faces countless times every day. No matter what’s the reason – an itchy nose, tired eyes, or pricking pimples, we all do it without giving it a second thought.

According to these studies done in 2008 and 2015, “People touch their faces approximately 16-23 times in an hour. “

Touching your face frequently increases the risk of getting infected with flu, common cold, as well as coronavirus. Your eyes and mouth are the vents through which viruses can enter your body, and all it takes is touching them with a finger already carrying an infection.

According to the CDC, “The COVID-19 is a respiratory infection and can be transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets.”

To avoid the risk of getting infected with the coronavirus, you need to take precautions against airborne viruses.

Preventative measures to stop the COVID-19 outbreak 

Here are some of the preventative measures you need to follow to stop the coronavirus outbreak:

1. Wear a mask: The CDC recommends people to wear a mask in public where it’s difficult for everyone to maintain social distancing. This step will help slow down the spread of the coronavirus from people with COVID-19 symptoms to the people who’re not infected.

2. Hand washing is the key: Another precaution that everyone needs to follow is to wash their hands often with water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Effective hand washing strategy consists of five simple steps:

• wet
• lather
• scrub
• rinse
• dry

Every one of us touches our face so often that the odds of recontaminating hands between washings are higher. So ensure to wash hands whenever possible to avoid sabotaging your handwashing efforts.

 3. A habit you need to break: A clinical psychologist at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital in Huntley, Zachary Sikora recommended some tips to help keep your hands away from your face during the coronavirus outbreak.

• Place reminders like Post-it notes on your laptop, refrigerator, doors, and other places in your home where you can see them and remember you want to keep your hands away from your face.
• Keep your hands busy. Sort your mails, try manicure, or folding laundry to keep your hands busy. If you have nothing to do, try to hold something in your hand, like a piece of paper will work, as long as it reminds you to keep your hands away from your face.
• Keep your hand sanitizer handy or in front of you to help remind yourself to keep your hands away from your face.
• Lace your fingers together and place them in your lap to avoid touching your face if you are in a meeting or your class.
• You can also wear gloves to give yourself a physical reminder. You can wear gloves when going out in public. You don’t need to wear gloves in your home.

Conclusion 

Your eyes, nose, and mouth are one of the easiest paths for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter the body. All it takes is touching your face with your hands after you have come in contact with the disease on a surface you touched. No matter how many times you wash your hands, it won’t be enough to prevent passing an infection into your system. The best preventive measure is to avoid touching your face as much as possible.