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Stop touching your face! CDC recommendations to prevent getting sick

Posted at 5:34 PM, Mar 11, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-11 19:14:22-04

As concernsfor the novel coronavirus continue, the CDC is recommending precautionary steps to prevent getting sick and spreading germs. These steps include washing yours hands frequently and not touching your face. But not touching your face can be extremely difficult, especially while sitting.

To see just how hard it is, we recorded students at UL's Edith Garland Dupré Library to see how often they touched their face. At the time, the students didn't know what we were looking for.

"That's a shocker. I don't even want to see the video again," student Andrew Escude said after we revealed the true purpose behind filming.

After getting set up, Escude and several of his friends touched their faces...a lot.

"When I'm stressed, I'll sit here and do like this, or mess with my hair all the time," Jayden Menard said, demonstrating by putting his hand on his face.

"I know that my nose itches a lot, so I just scratch it," Escude said.

With numerous cases of coronavirus being reported in the United States, including Louisiana, the CDC is recommending not to touch your face at all.

"It's hard to do it, but if you don't want to have it, it's something that you need to do," added Escude.

The best way to not touch your face;keep your hands busy and keep tissues close to you. Other helpful tips include using scented lotion on your hands.

"I guess I'll just use my sleeve to wipe my nose," Escude joked.

UL is closely monitoring the coronavirus situation; already they have canceled study abroad trips and are hosting webinars teaching how to use their online classes.

Gov. John Bel Edwards confirmed Wednesday night that there are 13 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in the state, including one in Iberia Parish.