Why are older relatives so reticent to follow the guideline re: coughing into your sleeve?

[Anonymous]

Both my parents and my in-laws cannot seem to get on board with this. My mom is actively offended every time I ask her to do this and my ILs like can't seem to figure out how to do it. They say they aren't used to doing it. What is the problem?

[Anonymous]

It’s literally their lives. Maybe their sick of your bossy attitude.

[Anonymous]

Whippersnapper! When I was your age we coughed all over each other! And we liked it! Never did us any harm. Now get off my lawn!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s literally their lives. Maybe their sick of your bossy attitude.

It's literally not. Do you understand how germs spread?

[Anonymous]

My mom is terrible about covering her mouth when she coughs. I think it’s because she is a smoker and always has a cough so she just got used to not covering her mouth and forgets when she’s sick. Drives me crazy!! I’m always scolding her but she’s almost 70 and DGAF.

[Anonymous]

Ugh I know this drives me crazy. My father cannot cough or sneeze into his elbow and acts like it's some ridiculous concept.

[Anonymous]

When they were growing up it was considered the height of low class to cough or sneeze into their arm. My mother can’t do it either. She sneezes or coughs into a handkerchief or tissue.

[Anonymous]

As an older adult here’s my take. We were taught a different way. It was ingrained in us from the time we were toddlers. We did it for decades. Now, 5, 6,
7 decades later there is a change in protocol. Coughs and sneezes aren’t planned. They come on us suddenly without planning. Our bodies are trained to put our hands to our mouths as we have done for more than half a century. And our heads remember that isn’t right. So in those fractions of a second while the sneeze is coming, we become paralyzed and the sneeze goes where it goes.

Better it go into your hand, as we were taught rather than into the air, as happens when the sneeze happens while we are to figure out where to
Send it

But bottom line. You’re expecting too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an older adult here’s my take. We were taught a different way. It was ingrained in us from the time we were toddlers. We did it for decades. Now, 5, 6,
7 decades later there is a change in protocol. Coughs and sneezes aren’t planned. They come on us suddenly without planning. Our bodies are trained to put our hands to our mouths as we have done for more than half a century. And our heads remember that isn’t right. So in those fractions of a second while the sneeze is coming, we become paralyzed and the sneeze goes where it goes.

Better it go into your hand, as we were taught rather than into the air, as happens when the sneeze happens while we are to figure out where to
Send it

But bottom line. You’re expecting too much.

Agree. I have adapted but I am in my 50s. I understand it would be harder for someone with another 20-30 years of habit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an older adult here’s my take. We were taught a different way. It was ingrained in us from the time we were toddlers. We did it for decades. Now, 5, 6,
7 decades later there is a change in protocol. Coughs and sneezes aren’t planned. They come on us suddenly without planning. Our bodies are trained to put our hands to our mouths as we have done for more than half a century. And our heads remember that isn’t right. So in those fractions of a second while the sneeze is coming, we become paralyzed and the sneeze goes where it goes.

Better it go into your hand, as we were taught rather than into the air, as happens when the sneeze happens while we are to figure out where to
Send it

But bottom line. You’re expecting too much.

No, sorry, you learned how to use computers and iPads, you can learn this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an older adult here’s my take. We were taught a different way. It was ingrained in us from the time we were toddlers. We did it for decades. Now, 5, 6,
7 decades later there is a change in protocol. Coughs and sneezes aren’t planned. They come on us suddenly without planning. Our bodies are trained to put our hands to our mouths as we have done for more than half a century. And our heads remember that isn’t right. So in those fractions of a second while the sneeze is coming, we become paralyzed and the sneeze goes where it goes.

Better it go into your hand, as we were taught rather than into the air, as happens when the sneeze happens while we are to figure out where to
Send it

But bottom line. You’re expecting too much.

But do you understand how then the germs are on your hands? Or does that piece not connect? Would you want to shake hands with someone who just coughed or sneezed into their hand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an older adult here’s my take. We were taught a different way. It was ingrained in us from the time we were toddlers. We did it for decades. Now, 5, 6,
7 decades later there is a change in protocol. Coughs and sneezes aren’t planned. They come on us suddenly without planning. Our bodies are trained to put our hands to our mouths as we have done for more than half a century. And our heads remember that isn’t right. So in those fractions of a second while the sneeze is coming, we become paralyzed and the sneeze goes where it goes.

Better it go into your hand, as we were taught rather than into the air, as happens when the sneeze happens while we are to figure out where to
Send it

But bottom line. You’re expecting too much.

But do you understand how then the germs are on your hands? Or does that piece not connect? Would you want to shake hands with someone who just coughed or sneezed into their hand?

you do this all.the.time without realizing it. And shake hands with dude who touched their penis and then didn’t wash their hands. And eat food prepared by people with spotty hygiene. And! Spoiler: you’re still here. It will be ok. I promise!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an older adult here’s my take. We were taught a different way. It was ingrained in us from the time we were toddlers. We did it for decades. Now, 5, 6,
7 decades later there is a change in protocol. Coughs and sneezes aren’t planned. They come on us suddenly without planning. Our bodies are trained to put our hands to our mouths as we have done for more than half a century. And our heads remember that isn’t right. So in those fractions of a second while the sneeze is coming, we become paralyzed and the sneeze goes where it goes.

Better it go into your hand, as we were taught rather than into the air, as happens when the sneeze happens while we are to figure out where to
Send it

But bottom line. You’re expecting too much.

But do you understand how then the germs are on your hands? Or does that piece not connect? Would you want to shake hands with someone who just coughed or sneezed into their hand?

you do this all.the.time without realizing it. And shake hands with dude who touched their penis and then didn’t wash their hands. And eat food prepared by people with spotty hygiene. And! Spoiler: you’re still here. It will be ok. I promise!

Is that how Coronavirus is spread?

[Anonymous]

Oh well I suppose let the older generation cough at each other, it's them that dies with Coronovirus, perhaps when they realise this they may then decide it's not crazy to practice a little care after all.

And you aren't suppose to be shaking hands with anyone at the moment.

[Anonymous]

To me, coughing/sneeze into your sleeve seems horribly gross. You've then got a sleeve full of germs and possibly mucus. If you need to put on a coat, the coat is then contaminated.

If you sneeze into your hand you can usually have a tissue to sneeze into which is then thrown away. You can wash your hands and/or use sanitizer. Thirty seconds to wash hands seems a lot more hygienic than walking around all day covered with your cumulative coughs/sneezes. I don't know of anybody who after coughing or sneezing changes into a fresh shirt so they can launder the one they just used as a tissue.