A Mosman Book Discussion Group has been studying the book 'THE BODY - A GUIDE FOR OCCUPANTS' by Bill Bryson; an extraordinary exploration of the human body. The book is taking us on a head-to-toe tour which reveals some surprising facts.Below I've summarised his research re 'Surprisingly, the least effective way to spread germs (according to yet another study) is kissing', apparently not as infectious as TOUCHING.
A sneeze, as referred by some authorities, is an 'autosomal dominant compelling helio-ophthalmic outburst' which makes the acronym ACHOO (sort of).
Only recently has it been discovered that sneezes are a much more drenching experience than anyone thought. A close study by a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that sneeze droplets can travel up to eight meters and drift in suspension in the air for ten minutes before gently settling on to nearby surfaces.
Through ultra-slow filming, they also discovered that a sneeze isn't a bolus of droplets as had always been thought, but more like a sheet - a kind of liquid cling film. Still unexplained is why infections droplets are more infectious to us when we pick them up by touch rather than when we breathe (or kiss) them in.
'When the virus is on hard surfaces, it survives about 12 hours, therefore when hard surfaces such as doors, appliances, railings, etc. are touched, hands should be washed thoroughly and/or disinfected with alcoholic gel. The virus can live nested in clothes and tissues between 6 and 12 hours.'
Good case for handwashing or gloves!
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