Our moms had the best intentions when they reminded us (in our younger years) to put a hand over coughs and sneezes. Mothers overlooked one fact: Sneezing or coughing into your hand spreads germs to everything you touch afterward.
To help contain the spread of germs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is campaigning to change the way we sneeze and cough. If kids can’t snatch up a disposable tissue, teach them to aim for their upper sleeve or elbows, not their hands. The CDC also reminds moms that the best defense against winter sniffles is frequent hand washing with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
