I would like to remind everyone to adhere to proper cough and sneeze etiquette. I am sure I’m not alone when I say that there are many individuals who still sneeze and cough freely into the atmosphere around shared spaces such as office meeting rooms, workstations and even restaurants without covering their mouth and noses. They range from loud sneezes and coughs to downright obnoxious ones at times.
It is not a crime to sneeze or cough freely, and I know that it is an uncontrollable reaction. One might be able to overlook the matter in the days before COVID-19, but in light of the pandemic, it is a big mistake to do so. You really need to cover up when you sneeze and cough!
We all need to be extra careful and vigilant these days. We are back to recording high positive COVID-19 cases on a daily basis. Do your part to stop the spread of the virus. Do not be selfish and protect yourself only.
Practise good cough and sneeze etiquette. Always cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing. If you do not have a tissue with you, at least sneeze or cough into your elbow. If you do happen to get your hands dirty from sneezing or coughing, immediately wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
What I am saying is actually common knowledge; you do not actually need to be told. It should be a way of life by now. However, as Malaysians we might find it hard to criticize someone, let alone tell the other party to cover up when they sneeze or cough. Therefore, my message is simple. Do not worry about offending anyone and tell it straight to the person politely.
We are talking about protecting lives here. Do the right thing. Adhere to proper cough and sneeze etiquette. No one deserves to be a victim of carelessness.
Yeap Ming Liong
