Between the socialized heath care and the relaxing vacations and available sick leave they can actually take, Europeans don't have to constantly worry about getting sick like we do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else noticed that Europeans never sneeze into their elbows? It's only ever into their hands - and that's if you're lucky. Half of the time it's just into the air. Was recently in Spain and this grossed me out so much, especially just coming out of covid. I wonder why this is?

Because it is disgusting to sneeze into the clothes you're wearing all day and exposing others too. Ever heard of a Kleenex? Or of going to the restroom and cleaning your nosey stuff?

Yes, I'm going to sneeze directly in my hands then go for a *pay* bathroom in Europe immediately to wash my hands. Give me a break.

Ah, the usual American bs. I can't self-regulate and clean my business with a hygienic kleenex or simply washing my hands/ nose...because nowhere in Europe do non-pay bathrooms exist!!

Consider staying home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else noticed that Europeans never sneeze into their elbows? It's only ever into their hands - and that's if you're lucky. Half of the time it's just into the air. Was recently in Spain and this grossed me out so much, especially just coming out of covid. I wonder why this is?

Because it is disgusting to sneeze into the clothes you're wearing all day and exposing others too. Ever heard of a Kleenex? Or of going to the restroom and cleaning your nosey stuff?

Yes, I'm going to sneeze directly in my hands then go for a *pay* bathroom in Europe immediately to wash my hands. Give me a break.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone else noticed that Europeans never sneeze into their elbows? It's only ever into their hands - and that's if you're lucky. Half of the time it's just into the air. Was recently in Spain and this grossed me out so much, especially just coming out of covid. I wonder why this is?

Because it is disgusting to sneeze into the clothes you're wearing all day and exposing others too. Ever heard of a Kleenex? Or of going to the restroom and cleaning your nosey stuff?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, maybe we sneeze in our hands but we don't spend a lot of time shooting up schools and killed each other. I will take the sneezing.

You don’t spend a lot of time doing much but smoking, complaining, and going on holidays.

Yes - isn't it great!

Anonymous wrote: Grew up in Europe and first heard of the elbow thing when I moved here. We were always taught to sneeze into a tissue. Not sure what we were supposed to do if we didn’t have one but I think sneezing into the air with your head turned away from people rings a bell.

+100 and same. Sneeze into tissue. Always have small pocket size packs of tissues. I had also never seen the Kleenex boxes of tissues until I can to the US. Students also carry their pocket tissues - no back to school Kleenex box donations/purchases.

Offer them some sanitizer for their hands immediately in a grossed out way and maybe they will get the hint.

Anonymous wrote:I’m American and the elbow method has never made sense to me. Sneezing into your hand, you can have a tissue w can be thrown away, you get better coverage, and if’s much easier to wash/sanitize hands than a sleeve. I know most of the country prefers the elbow method, but I find that repulsive and continue to cover my mouth with my hand (with a tissue whenever possible), and then I wash or sanitize my hands.

I've never seen someone who sneezes into their hands in public immediately wash or sanitize their hands.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, maybe we sneeze in our hands but we don't spend a lot of time shooting up schools and killed each other. I will take the sneezing.

You don’t spend a lot of time doing much but smoking, complaining, and going on holidays.

And that’s worse than shooting children? GTFO.

I'm 60 and learned the elbow method about 25 years ago. Am American.

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, maybe we sneeze in our hands but we don't spend a lot of time shooting up schools and killed each other. I will take the sneezing.

You don’t spend a lot of time doing much but smoking, complaining, and going on holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

I’m a 50 yr old American and I didn’t hear of the elbow sneeze method until I had school aged kids. Until then I sneezed into a tissue or my hands.

This.
Elbow sneezing is relatively new, even here.

This. As a child I definitely was taught to sneeze into my hands (45 year old).

Yeah, maybe we sneeze in our hands but we don't spend a lot of time shooting up schools and killed each other. I will take the sneezing.

I like the elbow method but agree with PP that ot wasn’t something I realized until my kids were at school so it must be real timely new. Makes sense to me in situations where you are caught without a tissue and/or not near a sink.

I do think Americans are too quick to judge others sanitary habits.

I don’t think we did better with COVID rates so who are we to judge. If someone sneezes near you. Hold your breath and walk away a few steps. They they sneeze on their hands and shake yours, be careful in not touching hands to face and find a place to wash.

Really no biggie IMO.

I teach little kids and I prefer the elbow method with them. It catches some of the airborne particles, even if not all. But kids who are taught to cough or sneeze on their hands are not running to wash them afterwards, and they are all touching the same toys and materials. I think the elbow thing must have been started by a teacher