With the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 spreading across the United States and the world at an unprecedented rate, public health officials are constantly advocating for frequent handwashing as a way for people to protect themselves from the disease. However, given that the virus can live on metal and plastic for days on end, the simple act of touching your face may be enough to infect yourself.
While stopping yourself from touching your face may be simple in theory, it’s actually harder than you think. Experts say that the average human does it about 9 to 23 times per hour without even realizing it. People often wipe their eyes, scratch their nose, bite their nails, adjust their glasses, and twirl their mustaches. They also touch their face more when feelings of stress and anxiety arise. It’s a habit that’s hard to break, especially since face touching offers immediate relief from momentary discomforts like itches and muscle tension.
During a global pandemic, however, touching your face can increase the risk of contracting the disease considering that your eyes and mouth are areas where viruses can enter easily.
To help you stop touching your face, here are some tips that you can follow:
Keep a box of tissues within easy reach
When you feel the urge to scratch an itch, rub your nose, or adjust your glasses, grab a piece of tissue and use it instead of touching your face with your fingers. If you need to sneeze but don’t have a tissue handy, sneeze into your elbow instead of your hand. Sneezing into your hand will only make you likely pass germs on to other people and the things you touch.
Keep your hands busy
Keeping your hands busy with other items can reduce instances of touching your face. You can replace the habit of face touching like finding something else to touch, like a stress ball, a fidget spinner, or some other toy. You can even busy yourself with other activities that require the use of hands, such as sorting mail, folding laundry, or simply lacing your hands together. If you choose to resort to playing with an object, just be sure to sanitize it often.
Don’t ignore the urge
Another way of keeping yourself from touching your face is by addressing the fact that you do it often. Simply telling yourself “don’t touch your face” won’t suffice. The key is to allow yourself to be aware of the urge and practice competing behavior.
Throughout the day, identify the triggers that make you want to touch your face. If it’s rubbing your eyes because they’re dry, address it by using moisturizing drops. If it’s to adjust your glasses, perhaps you can use ear hooks to prevent slippage. You can also place written reminders around your home or set notifications on your phone to help you be aware of your behavior. That can help make yourself more conscientious about what you do. In the event that you slip up, wash your hands, and start fresh.
Keep your hands away from your face as much as possible. Now is a crucial time to be clean and careful, so infections will not spread any more.
If you want to stay up to date with the latest news from the healthcare industry, subscribe to Dose of Healthcare today!
