Medical experts are repeating what our parents told us for years: don't pick your nose.
These days, picking your nose is putting your life at risk, according to infectious disease specialist Dr. Paul Pottinger, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
The nose of one of three ways the coronavirus can enter your body. The other two being the mouth and eyes.
Noses are lined with mucus and tiny hairs to filter out unwanted invaders, and sticking a finger inside bypasses those defense systems.
Nose pickers can easily transfer germs from your fingertips into your nose, which is the exact opposite of what you want.
The coronavirus can be spread to others from someone's nose-picking session, and they are also more likely to bring that virus, along with other nasty things like influenza or rhinovirus (the common cold), directly into the body.
"If someone is eager to stop nose-picking, what a great opportunity to take advantage of this moment in human history where everybody's supposed to be covering their face," Pottinger said.
