Word of MouthGood hygiene and health manners are appreciated anytime and anyplace, but never more so than in the cramped quarters of public transportation. With more buses and trains filled to capacity, we're often forced to share air in a space that's already too close for comfort. This is especially relevant during cold and flu season, when the triple threat of germs from coughs, sneezes, and yawns (CSY) is at its peak. A brief review of microbiology reminds us that viruses and bacteria are passed from person to person in tiny droplets of moisture that come out of the nose - not to mention that side dish of halitosis we didn't order - when you CSY. TMI? We know, but we Muni Ladies bring you these grossgusting facts to drive home the point that respiratory etiquette states you should cover your mouth to avoid spreading germs on mass transit. And, if you don't have a tissue, your sleeve will do. So, the next time you're waiting to exhale, don't leave us down in the mouth: spare the air (and us) by coughing up your own sneeze guard.
Muni Manner: To prevent the spread of germs, cover your mouth when expelling air. It's the safe and courteous thing to do.
28 comments:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/chi/pdf/covercough_hcp11x17-chinese.pdf
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO POST ON ALL BUSES.
AVAILABLE IN ALL LANGUAGES from the CDC.
A mere sneeze:
"Sneeze expels air at up to 150 miles per hour, but the distance it can travel depends on many factors such as physical obstacles"???? ....HEY.....NOT ON ME, PLEASE!!
COVER YOUR MOUTH!!!!!!!!
And people wonder why the common cold and airborne diseases spread like wildfire on BART/MUNI during the colder months in SF. It's because people don't cover their mouths!
Ugh! agreed 100%!
I completely agree, there are so many people who "forget" or should know better and just cough all over you. So many people are now missing work and family functions because someone sneezed or coughed on them. I think there should be public safety signs in all areas of public transport to remind people.... I wonder if they could fine people for bad hygiene? I'll give props to the BCC during EKKA now they hand out germ killing hand wipes as soon as you walk in, and I didn't actually catch any thing last year... fingers crossed ;)
very true very true, I saw a waiter once who did exactly the right thing and so I copied him after that, he coughed right into his sleeve away from the trays of food.
As if not covering your mouth for a cough, or you nose for a sneeze is bad enough, they all seem to be crotch grabbing close talkers. They get so close to you, just to ask the time or ask you to move to the side that you can almost taste the tart upper-respiratory infection and can not help but notice the yellow cherry pits of mucous hanging from the corner of their eyes.
This blog is a bible for frequent travelers like me
Well here in Portugal is just the same. People forget the tissues and sneeze everywhere.
In winter is all that you listen in the transports.
(Sorry my English is to rusty!) :)
I was on the subway in NYC the other day, and saw a woman take out (very Lilac scented) Lysol and spray the seat before she sat down.
When I fart on a bus I like to clasp my palms around my butthole. I do this out of respect.
Sneezing? How about throwing up? Twice in one year I was thrown up on...well me and about 10 others in the immediate vicinity. Who throws up without bending over and facing the ground?
i personally don't think sneezing or coughing will spread an airborne disease.diseases are not spread through the air
The throw up story makes me feel a little nauseous...
My choir teacher always told me to CSY into my elbow so if I touched anything with my hand, no germs would transfer.
Also, this is probably against a rule, but if you say "Bless you!" or some other post CSY remark, people become more aware of how aware other people are of their bodily functions and might remember to cover next time.
PURELL RULES!!!!
I bathe in it, pre and post ride on MUNI ;-).
Nowadays people are affraid of everything. There was a time when I used to look the seat before use it. I've listen somewhere that they lived the needles (hypodermic) everywhere.
OMG!! I abhor people who can't cover their mouths when they yawn. Yes, you do suck air in at first, but then it comes back out. And NO ONE wants to see your tonsils. Eww!
Not only this but most people don't even do the basic 'wash your hands.' Ugh.
Stumbled across your blog and LOVE it! I used to commute 45 minutes via train to work, and have witnessed some weird and disrespectful behavior. Based on my experience, you should write a blog about not peeing on the train, and about not forcing religion to fellow commuters!
There is nothing worse then feeling the spray of the person behind you sneezing on you while riding the bus. Gross!!!
Loving the blog!
Hey there,
Well you have a very good post there. Well i am learning something. You are rite, its very hard to walk down the street if you don't have your hanky with you to cover your nose and mouth.
Sometimes its just about people who cough on your face and just walk away...
well its a good post muni
Just Zip It Folks!!!
:)
These are good rules
I think that people are affraid of catch some kind of didease somewhere. Nowadays is difficult to control that problem and eatch day that pass becomes more difficult with all the problems that affect our society.
Please encourage teaching children these rules too. I've been on Metro Link here in St. Louis with families on the way to a ballgame and the parents know to cover CSY, but the little ones let it fly. If I have child snot in my hair, it'd better be from my own little one who sneezed while I was holding him/her!
Ew ya when people don't cover there mouths on the T (i'm talking from a Boston perspective here) Its disgusting. I ride the T every Sunday to get to MIT and Harvard Sq (cambridge) And its frikin cramped. I'm shocked nothing has gotten stolen out of my purse yet or anything. But back to germs yes there gross. Cover your mouth people.
Don't forget that SF has an extremely high level of Tuberculosis. I got it at high school here many years ago and had to take drugs for a year. It was no fun.
You think that's bad? I was on a bus down here in San Jose and this old Vietnamese guy leaned over into the aisle, plugged one nostril, and basically emptied the other one on the floor. Yes, he blew his nose onto the floor. Man, I was so squicked out by that I almost threw up.
I understand you very well. I see that kind of behaviour here and in every streets, why don't people have manners?
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