Cough etiquette

Cough etiquette

Cough etiquette is a series of actions to take while coughing and sneezing to help stop the spread of germs.

Serious respiratory illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are spread by:

  • Coughing or sneezing
  • Unclean hands

To limit the spread of these infectious respiratory droplets;

  • Turn away from people when about to cough or sneeze.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  • Put your used tissue in the waste basket.
  • If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands. It is a common practice to cover the mouth with hands,but it can lead to higher chances of spread of germs, so this practice should not be done.
  • You may be asked to put on a facemask to protect others.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

 

Dr.Sana Rajper