By Frank Paynter
Frank is retired and living in Vista, California. Herewith he offers a light look at the predicament that confronts us all.
Frank is retired and living in Vista, California. Herewith he offers a light look at the predicament that confronts us all.
Journal of the Plague Year: Report From the Front
I went grocery shopping. While in the detergent aisle I sneezed. I covered my mouth with my hand. The sneeze alone was evidence of my asocial nature. The hand to face gesture covering the sneeze showed me to be a public health menace. The good news was that I was the only shopper in the detergent aisle so nobody witnessed my shame.
The recommended face-to-elbow sneeze cover-up posture is simply unnatural for me. I lack the flexibility to get a good seal between my sneeze apparatus and that part of my arm. And which arm is better? For me, they both seem equally awkward. Hopefully the local yoga studio offers a workshop. After I've learned the right moves I can practice until it's natural for me to sneeze into my sleeve and not my hand. Meanwhile I've adopted a modified face-to-forearm move which should, with practice and intention, accomplish the prophylactic intent.
After grocery shopping I put the bags in the back and got in the car, opened my little two ounce bottle of Purell hand sanitizer and squirted a generous amount in the palm of my left hand. Then I tried to put the cap back on the Purell bottle and put it away. The sanitizer in my hand dripped out and soaked my trouser leg. I reopened the bottle, squirted a second helping into my hand, dropped the bottle on the seat and rubbed my hands together until the sanitizer was gone. Then I recapped the bottle, started the car and headed home. What did I learn? My most important take-away was this: the sanitizer, comprised mostly of isopropyl alcohol, won't stain your clothes or your upholstery if you're a little clumsy.
The recommended face-to-elbow sneeze cover-up posture is simply unnatural for me. I lack the flexibility to get a good seal between my sneeze apparatus and that part of my arm. And which arm is better? For me, they both seem equally awkward. Hopefully the local yoga studio offers a workshop. After I've learned the right moves I can practice until it's natural for me to sneeze into my sleeve and not my hand. Meanwhile I've adopted a modified face-to-forearm move which should, with practice and intention, accomplish the prophylactic intent.
After grocery shopping I put the bags in the back and got in the car, opened my little two ounce bottle of Purell hand sanitizer and squirted a generous amount in the palm of my left hand. Then I tried to put the cap back on the Purell bottle and put it away. The sanitizer in my hand dripped out and soaked my trouser leg. I reopened the bottle, squirted a second helping into my hand, dropped the bottle on the seat and rubbed my hands together until the sanitizer was gone. Then I recapped the bottle, started the car and headed home. What did I learn? My most important take-away was this: the sanitizer, comprised mostly of isopropyl alcohol, won't stain your clothes or your upholstery if you're a little clumsy.
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