The Most Appropriate Way to Contain a Cough or Sneeze

Written by Christian Rumi 23 February 2010 23,581 views No Comment

I think it’s rather grotesque and highly surprised that people in general haven’t caught on to this. We’ve managed to catch on to the fact that its unsafe and unhygienic to openly store your toothbrush in your bathroom, but for some reason we’re still coughing and sneezing into our hands, bacteria laden hankies, or the more lately our sleeves.

Child sneezing into tissueNo ones uses the hankie anymore; people have finally become self-conscious of sneezing into their hands, especially in public but so many people believe it’s OK to sneeze into their sleeve.

I have seen posters, recently in establishments showing people how to properly sneeze and yes, the little man is sneezing into his sleeve! Damn that!

Cough or sneeze into the inside of your shirt

A cough or sneeze generally only gives us a few seconds, if we’re lucky (vision: blowing snot everywhere accidentally) to properly prepare for it. The proper way is to lift up your shirt by the neck and sneeze into the open area there. Obviously if the coughing or sneezing fit won’t cease or is getting out of hand, walk away and contain yourself. Respect for everyone.

  1. The tasty remnants of the sneeze go back to the owner – for later
  2. Those same remnants do not go near the the sneezer’s hands and thus not onto anything else in the area. (e.g. children, keyboards, handsets)

Sounds good doesn’t it? I think so.

The only problem I’ve encountered with this particular means of containing a cough or sneeze is the situation where you’re not wearing clothing that allows for pulling the neck of your top out to sneeze in, ie. a tie, buttoned up blouse.

In that case my only solace would come from watching you sneeze as deeply into your armpit as possible and again, containing it as much as possible.

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