With the spread of COVID-19 internationally, a few daily activities we take part in are having to be altered. For example, BC’s health authority recommends avoiding big groups and making regular hand washing a habit throughout the day. But, the hardest thing to do that protects yourself and others is probably not touching your face.
I don’t know about you, but I love touching my face. It is one of the main ways that I emote. How am I going to go about my day and not clench the bridge of my nose to indicate that I’m stressed out? How will I show that I’m crying if I can’t rub my fist against my eyes?
Well, as a means of helping all my fellow face-touchers, here is a list of things that you can touch other than your face.
Your neck
Okay, I accept that this is a bit of a cop-out, but if you gotta touch something, so why not your neck? The logic behind touching your neck is that it is in the same general area as your face, so it might trick your brain into thinking you’re touching your face. Also, there are no holes or orifices for germs and dirt to get into.
Your other hand
Good news folks, most people have two hands, which means one is always available to touch. If you’re left-handed, touch your right hand. If you’re right-handed, touch your left. That’s basically it. Two hands means one’s for touching.
The pole of a bus (after you have personally cleaned it)
People are especially afraid of public spaces and touching public surfaces, which is fair, but that doesn’t mean you can’t touch anything when you’re on the bus. If you touch a bus pole, be sure to wipe it down with the single Lysol wipes you traded your car for. If you weren’t able to get Lysol wipes, just wash your hands when you get home.
Your syllabus
Need something that you know hasn’t been touched for a few months and is thus rendered uncontaminated by any new viruses? Well your syllabus from this semester probably hasn’t been looked at or touched since you first got it in January, which is a good few months before COVID-19 got to Vancouver in a bad-way. So touch that baby as much as you want.
The stress ball you have started keeping on you at all times
If you, like me, are now in a constant state of stress about the new reality that we live in, it might be a good opportunity to invest in a stress ball. Not only will it give you something to squeeze when you think about the looming economic recession that will occur in the coming months, it will also give you something to touch other than your face.
A wall
Sure, why not. I mean how dirty can a wall really be? Then wash your hands again just to be safe.