Picking nose can get you COVID infection, new study warns

New Delhi: Nose picking can put you at the risk of getting covid, warns a study in Netherlands.

Removing boogers is alright but sticking your finger in the nose can invite varieties of viruses.

A team of scientists studied risky routes of infection after being inspired by a previous finding that healthcare staff in close contact with covid patients are likely to sick.

The details the study, based on common bahavioural patterns, were appeared in the journal Plos One.

The study was conducted on 219 employees at Amsterdam University Medical Centres.

Of the 219 workers surveyed, the majority of them at 84.5 % picked their noses with varying frequency on monthly, weekly, and daily basis.

Covid-19 incidence were higher in those picked their noses compared to others.

Study cannot link biting nails, wearing glasses and wearing beard to getting covid infection.

‘It is surprising to observe the extensiveness in which the scientific community (including our own study team) has researched all sorts of Covid-19 transmission routes, risk factors, and protective measures; yet assessing the role of simple behavioural and physical properties has so far been overlooked,’ study’s author said.

Given the findings, it seems that covid behavoiur guidelines should warn against nose picking as well.

‘Considering guideline recommendations include, e.g., illustrations of appropriate masks for those with facial hair despite the lack of any real-life evidence, nose picking deserves more consideration as a potential health hazard, and explicit recommendations against nose picking should be included in the same Covid-19 infection prevention guidelines,’ researchers stated.