A subject not to be sneezed at

A recent survey has found nasal mucus ends up in the air, on the ground, on clothing, wrists, fingers and inside pockets with alarming regularity in New Zealand schools.


The survey was part of the annual Kleenex SneezeSafe health education initiative which profiled the state of cold and flu hygiene practice in New Zealand.

It found if school pupils got caught short without a tissue or handkerchief, some use a handful of grass, a shrugged shoulder, the inside of a jacket, a piece of scrap paper, or clothing from the wash basket to wipe a runny nose.

Results showed 25% of New Zealand adults have cleared mucus from their nose on to the ground; 55% admit to sometimes sneezing into the air; 34% use their clothing, fingers or wrist to wipe a runny nose; and 12% of those who sneeze into their hands never wash them afterwards.

A sneeze can travel at up to 320kmh and spread more than 2000 microscopic virus droplets almost a metre.

John McGlashan College is one of a growing number of New Zealand schools investigating the SneezeSafe programme with a view to adding it to its health lessons.

The programme is being offered to secondary schools in response to a growing complacency in attitudes toward cold and flu hygiene.

Pupils learn they should trap a sneeze so cold and flu virus particles do not enter the air.

The safest ways to trap a sneeze are with a tissue (ideally viricidal) or with cupped hands covering nose and mouth.

If a tissue is used to trap a sneeze, pupils learn to bin the tissue after using it once.

If cupped hands are used to trap a sneeze, they are taught to wash their hands afterwards.

If caught short without a tissue or with hands otherwise engaged, the class will learn to trap a sneeze in the crook of the elbow.

This method leaves live virus particles on the fabric of sleeves, but stops the virus entering the air for others to breathe.

 

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