By: Monique Anderson
As the world tried to be more healthy and health conscience , people are being more aware of germs and the spread of germs. As a result people are washing their hands more, carrying hand sanitizer and covering coughs and sneezes with tissue. But you still have people who refuse to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing . This is one violation of a social norm that really get under my germaphobic skin. Not only is this practice nasty ,but it also spreads germs and viruses. Once a person coughs or sneeze those germs can live up to 2 hours or longer on surfaces that have been contaminated with these microorganisms. These germs can cause illnesses such as Influenza (Flu), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Whooping cough and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SAR), which had everyone last year running to get hand sanitizer and medical masks. During cold and flu season it is particularly helpful to remember some simple things you can do to stop the spread of germs and viruses. Studies have shown that one out of every four people does not cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Think about it that’s a lot of colds and flu being passed around. Health experts suggested that we cover our mouths with tissue or handkerchief ( yes handkerchief, the ones grandpa use to carry and wipe your noses and hands with). Have you ever been in a place and somebody cough or sneezes and you notice that everyone moves out of the persons space , or look at them with discomfort and annoying expression if they cough too much ,or they pull out their trusty bottle of hand sanitizer.
So enclosing people please if your sick stay home or at least cover your mouth other people like me would greatly appreciate it. There are a lot of things I want to shared with my follow Americans be your colds and flu are not one of them. So people do all of us a favor and COVER YOUR DARN MOUTH .
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ReplyDeleteI agree with you, it's disgusting when people cough and don't cover their mouths. It's just common courtesy to cover your mouth because you're spreading your germs around to others if you don't. I think some people can be very selfish. When I worked at a movie theater I had to do bathroom checks and you'd be surprised at how many people I saw coming out without even washing their hands, which shows some people don't care about their cleanliness or what they're passing on to others.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is really sad that many people are unaware of the amount of germs they are spreading, and the power we all have to prevent it just by cover our mouths and washing our hands. I remember when I was on the el train and this young child was coughing all over the place and his parents didnt even attempted to cover his mouth or anything. I was truly disgusted. Our health is the most important thing in life. I believe everyone should always be courteous and cover their mouths to prevent the spread of disease.
ReplyDeleteFor starter's, this blog was hilarious. The expression of people faces on the video, was actual reality. I myself will move away from someone or give them "the look", when they are not being considerate of other people when they cough or sneeze.
ReplyDeleteOMG. I hate when people be coughing and sneezeing and not cover their mouth. It really bother me because I hate germs. Every where I go I make sure I have my sanitizer. When Im riding on septa I see people wiping snot on the poles and chairs. It just makes me so mad to see that. I with you I hate when people dont feel the need to use tissues and cover their mouths.
ReplyDeleteThe topic you have is quite interesting and also astonishing about the rate of people who don’t cover their mouth while coughing. You are absolutely right that it can be so annoying and disgusting if someone is coughing near around you. There is no problem with coughing or sneezing because they are natural. The actual concern is the way you perform them. Sometimes people really don’t care about their location or the atmosphere around them which can be put other people in uncomfortable situation. It remind me an incident when I was travelling in SEPTA train with a cup of iced-tea in my hand. The woman next to me start coughing like crazy for more than 10 minutes. I had no problem with that because it could happen with any body for some reason. The only thing happened in result was that, I could not able to put the straw back into my mouth and simply threw my cup in trash.
ReplyDeleteOMG i so agree with you that is so nasty.. i have been on the bus or train lots of time when people sneeze into there hands and then wipes them off in the empty seat next to them or just finished sneezing and touch the pole without putting hand sanitizer.. so people if you don't have tissue and have to sneeze in you hands always sanitize before you leave all your GERMS around
ReplyDeleteOmg i soooo agree! One of my pet peeves is people who do not cover their nose and mouth like i totally just walk away from them. Its so nasty I really do not like that at all. It's really a nasty way of spreading germs.
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy that one out of four people do not cover their mouths when sneezing or coughng! It is so dirty and spreads germs and diseases. Are there no manners or concern for others left?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. Don't you just hate when you are riding public transportation and it's crowded you don't have a seat you have nowhere to move you're standing holding the same bar as the person next to you who just coughed and sneezed into their hand and put their hand back onto the same bar you are holding. Talk about germs.Omg!
ReplyDeleteI must agree that it is very annoying when you have people sneezing without covering their mouth all around you. I feel like i breathing in the germs. I'd much rather people cover their nose and mouth.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, we should all take the necessary time to cover our mouths and protect others around us from the very same germs that have infiltrated our systems and afflicted our bodily functions. The subject of covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze strikes me as odd in this day and age. I think we would all agree that there are more diseases prevalent today than a generation ago, yet some people have developed habits that don't aid in preventing the spread of diseases and actually help the germy microorganisms grow and multiply, whether on purpose or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. You grabbed my attention from the moment I read the title of your blog. Its so bad for me that it has gotten to the point that if someone sneezes around me I'll hold my breath and cover my face until I get away from that area. I guess germs are a phobia for me. But in today's world germs are everywhere so I'm just very watchful of peoples actions when their near me. You speak the truth!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! I believe coughing and not covering your mouth is very disgusting. When you cough or sneeze on someone you are exposing your germs to another person; causing someone else to get whatever sickness you have. People need to learn how to cover their mouths and to wash their hands. Thats why when im out i'm very careful i always wipe down objects that i have to touch, and i am always washing or putting hand santizer on my hands. This is very true!
ReplyDeleteI thought this blog was both funny and right on the money. I especially notice this when I am on the bus. I notice that when people sit next to you and they have to sneeze or cough instead of covering their mouths they will turn out into the aisle. This helps the person that they are sitting next to but what about the person trying to walk down the aisle or the poor person sitting across from them. There is no common courtesy with this. And I agree that it is really, really disgusting.
ReplyDeleteIt's very good to see and hear people talk about this issue. People should really think more about these things. It's important that we cover our mouths when we sneeze or cough because other people are at risk. There is no excuse!!!!
ReplyDeleteI hate to be the one to tell you this but that goes under the heading of manners which most people do not exercise in todays' world. I could not agree with you more, what is so hard about covering up your mouth before, during and after you sneeze no one wants your germs. But as you can see as well as alot of other people can see manners is played out just like saying "please" and "thank you" is but that's another blog! Thanks for bringing that to our attention! Great Job!
ReplyDeleteI do understand the need for someone not to have to bear your germs when you cough, but I don't think that alot of people take into account that sneezing can be a sudden reflex of the body and sometimes your reaction isn't fast enough. What can be said for a person who excuses themselves from a sudden sneeze and is still given that "crazy look". The person who sneezes or coughs suddenly is considered the "out-break monkey". Let take it also into account that people touch money and their mouths as well as share unwanted germs just by breathing in someone's general direction, every millisecond of the day. Your born exposed to germs, you will probably die exposed to germs,No one is safe. You want safe, move into a Bubble!
ReplyDeleteI want to thank everyone for their feed back on my blog. I would especially would like to address Tyree Reese no I don't think I would like the Bubble sorry lol but i do want people to be aware of this habit.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great piece. It reminds me of how people, adults, can be juvenile and inconsiderate. I find it annoying and hard to fathom that so many adults (or people who should know better) still do this. Maybe we as a society should come together and make stiffer sanctions for not covering your mouth. If I had five dollars for every uncovered cough or sneeze committed by an adult in my presence I could probably finance a health class for the health unconscience. But we don't sanction this behavior that stiffly and some people would still probably do it anyway. As you can tell this burns me. Maybe your blog is the answer though. It should have us rethinking our unsavory behavior we have in public. Job well done.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree it really grind my gears when people dont cover their mouthes when they cough and sneeze! Its not even about spreading germs its down right nasty. This kind of behavior goes back to basic household training and manners. Its not hard to kindly put your hand over your mouth when you feel a sneeze or cough coming on i wish people will realize this.
ReplyDeleteThis blog was really funny yet so true, a lot of people are unaware of the germs they are spreading and most people get upset when you move away from them or look at them some in a negative way. Some people just don't care about what they are spreading and for people like me who have a bad immune system I easily get sick from it!
ReplyDeleteThis is a good post because gems are spread easily and some people don’t know how to cover their mouths so this was a good way to inform them. However, there are a lot of places that germs travel fast like the subway, public bathrooms, and most defiantly home. If you or someone around you is sick remember to wash your hands so I won’t be the next person to be under the weather. Great Post!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that simple sanitation such as covering your mouth is often seriously lacking. Too many people cough or sneeze freely, assisting the spread of germs. I wonder what the cause of people's apathy about hygiene could be. Do you think that culture or socio-economic status play a role in it it? By the way, great video! On top of being hilarious, and illustrating your point, it showed some good norm breaking!
ReplyDeletethis a good one because I work in a hospital and even the doctor need to cover their mouth better yet how about wash their dame hands when leaveing the bathroom and ,I love the video to and because i work in the hospital i would think that the hygiene would be better wrong its at it worse her from the doctor to the housekeeping staff they just go in and out of the restromms without washing their hands and my thing is you work here what up with that
ReplyDeleteThat video is funny,but the point is understandable, people need to be careful, because these bacteria out there are getting tougher to kill. And those closing comments are what I tell my six year old everyday "SHARE EVERYTHING ELSE BUT NOT YOUR GERMS".
ReplyDeleteYea it is pretty nasty how some people don't cover their mouths when they are coughing and especially when they turn their head to the side and cough, it really doesn't make a difference I still feel uncomfortable and just want to be away from that person. Some people aren't aware of how much germs they are really spreading. Also I find the video amusing and some people are really like that too, but it's weird how no one said nothing to the guy they just stared at him.
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