Don't Touch the T-Zone!

 

Don’t touch the T-Zone!

This is key in order to block a key pathway to infection with SARS-CoV-2.

The primary route into the body for the virus is through the nose, eyes, and mouth. It enters cells of mucous membranes via ACE2 receptors.  There are two ways in which the virus can come into contact with these membranes. One is by direct inhalation of droplets or aerosol and the other is by touching one’s mouth, nose or eye region with a contaminated hand or a contaminated object.

While the virus is typically only airborne for a matter of minutes, it can contaminate surfaces and objects, known as ‘fomites’, for many hours and even days.  We are constantly touching these surfaces and objects. Washing hands and cleaning surfaces play a crucial role, but keeping hands uncontaminated when there are so many potential fomites in our environment is extremely difficult and hand contamination only poses a problem if the hand then touches the T-Zone. It therefore makes logical sense to do everything we can to find ways of minimizing this behavior.