Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
I don't see why we can't do both.
Here's something else - for the first 20ish years of my life, it was normal to cover your mouth with your hand when you sneezed or coughed. Then five or so years ago the whole sneeze/cough into your elbow tactic replaced using your hand seemingly overnight. Once "we" decide to adopt another more sanitary way of doing things, I think people are pretty quick to embrace it.
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Why not both is due to the effort and resistance people have to change. The handshake is a pretty ingrained and socially significant activity. Changing it would require a great deal of effort and cost which could be better spent on things with more measurable outcomes.
Now focused bans from professional groups like doctors and nurses would probably be worth the effort. As the consequences of germ spreading amongst these groups is higher.
And again the study used comparative language rather than actual numbers and didn't discuss potential for reduction of infections only that less bacteria leads to less infections.
Hand washing has good hard science behind it and until we get good at it it should be our only hygiene focused health initiative.