This year we’ve had a truly nasty outbreak of influenza. The flu is everywhere. People left, right and centre are getting struck down by the infectious illness. But instead of staying in bed (as sick days aren’t always an option for everyone) many are soldiering on; sneezing next to us on the train, sneezing behind us in the crammed elevator and sneezing by the microwave in the communal kitchen.
It’s a war-zone out there and with so much sneezing and spreading of germs going on, experts have spoken up to let us know that our sneezing etiquette is all wrong. Yes, Australian’s are sneezing incorrectly.
Australian’s have been taught incorrectly how to sneeze
It’s not our fault though, we’ve just have never been educated correctly on the “right” way to sneeze.
University of Sydney Associate Professor Guy Eslick told the Daily Telegraph: “People are not seeing enough advertising campaigns in front of them about how to sneeze properly and have general good hygiene.”
What is the correct way to sneeze?
Eslick says Australians need to stop sneezing into their hands or hankies and instead adopt the “elbow-sneeze” like the Americans. He suggests we mimic the celebratory move, reserved usually for sporting matches and YouTube sensations, known as “the dab“.
A lesson in “the dab”
Hand Hygiene Australia director Professor Lindsay Grayson told the Daily Telegraph that people must learn to cough and sneeze into their elbow as it reduces potentially deadly influenza spreading.
“Sneezing or coughing into your elbow should be considered the new good etiquette. It’s better than into hand or snotty handkerchief,” he said.
Previously, it was thought that people caught the flu by others coughing and sneezing on them. While this is still true, we know now that an even more likely way of catching it is on our hands, or by coming into contact with spaces where people have had snot or snotty tissues and handkerchiefs. Gross.
OK Australia, looks like it’s time to get dabbin’!
