Sneezing etiquette
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Flu, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis. Whatever the reason for your cold, it will most likely manifest itself with the same annoying symptoms: a runny nose, sometimes an unstoppable one, punctuated by noisy and equally dangerous bursts of sneezing.
Sneezing in public: the rules of good manners for proper hygiene
Sneezing is an automatic reflex, a defence mechanism on the part of the body that attempts to use the airways to forcefully expel dust, viruses, bacteria and other irritants trapped in the nasal passages, obstructing them. Saliva and mucus come out in the form of many droplets that, apparently, if not stopped, have a range of about 4/5 metres and transmit the germs into the surrounding space.
First of all, follow the advice of the Ministry of Health and doctors: sneeze and cough by always covering your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or with the inner crease of the elbow, and not with your hands. This part of the body is actually the one that comes into least contact with others.
Cloth handkerchief or paper tissue?
However, it is preferable to use a handkerchief or tissue. But which one to choose: fabric or paper?
For hygiene reasons, the answer is paper tissues, provided that the WHO advice is respected and you throw them away after each single use. This is precisely how it is possible to limit contact with mucus and reduce the proliferation of germs and bacteria.
Paper tissues are also softer and gentler on the skin than regular handkerchiefs used multiple times, thus minimising the risk of redness and cracking skin on the nose.
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