It drives me insane that so many people are still doing this, especially in the wake of a global pandemic. It bothers me so much that I become visibly angry for a good while after I see it and have trouble interacting with other people politely because I’m so disturbed by it. It’s to the point that I cringe whenever I even hear someone cough knowing there is a 95% chance they are doing it into their hands.

There is literally no excuse for it, toddlers know to cough into the crook of their arm. And before you say it, yes it is most DEFINITELY preferable to cough into the open air as most of those droplets dissipate and fall to the ground almost immediately, whereas when you cough into your hand you literally go on to infect every surface you touch for 6 hours or more or until you wash/gel your hands. Ditto on coughing into a paper thin Kleenex, same thing. It is absolutely impractical to count on being able to wash/gel your hands immediately every time you cough or sneeze, even if you are a woman carrying a purse.

If there was ever a time to put a stop to this idiotic practice that probably predates lobotomies, it was a global pandemic. Yet not a word was uttered by any of the multiple political leaders or global health experts that had the entire world’s attention reinforcing the importance of correcting this moronic behavior.