Make coughing or sneezing into the shirtsleeves fashionable, a doctor advised a group of schoolteachers on Friday.

South Point School had organised a session on dos and don’ts to fight the coronavirus with internal medicine specialist Rahul Jain addressing frequently raised doubts.

“One should sneeze or cough into the crook of the arm when wearing a shirt with long sleeves or shoulders if one is wearing shorter sleeves. It may look bad, but it is not. Please make it fashionable. The fabric is absorbing the virus, which could be the common cold virus, coronavirus or influenza virus. Even if it absorbs 90 per cent, it is reducing the transmission. Usually people don’t come and shake your shoulders or elbows to greet and so there is less chances of spreading infection,” Jain said.

The doctor was speaking to about 300 teachers and non-teaching employees.

Jain emphasised that one should wash hands frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing, to avoid spreading infection. When an individual sneezes or coughs, s/he acts like a spray can throwing viruses into the air.

“We are all mobile spray cans when we cough or sneeze. The respiratory droplets spread from our mouths up to a range of two metres and stay in the atmosphere for a long time. We have to prevent ourselves from becoming such mobile spray cans,” Jain said.

He recommended practising good hygiene, taking preventive steps, closely following government advisories and not panicking over rumours being circulated on social media.

Jain also demonstrated the correct way to wash hands starting from the palm, back of the hand, individual fingers, web spaces between the fingers, fingertips, snuff box and then the wrist.

“Teachers have to deal with a huge number of students and answer many questions. Right now, there is so much floating around in social media that it is important to get the information from the right source,” said Krishna Damani, a trustee of South Point.

“With the number of people affected by the coronavirus globally and in our own country rising, we all need to be extremely cautious and take preventive measures. We have created general awareness through posters and sending text messages to parents asking them not to send children to school if they are unwell,” said D.K. Chadda, principal, South Point School.

Asked about the use of masks, Jain said it is “not recommended for general public”.

“Mask is recommended for people with cough and cold and such an infected person can use a normal surgical mask. Its fabric will prevent the spread of infection. Anyone who is infected can wear normal surgical masks. The N95 mask, the special medical mask, should be worn by doctors and nurses who are looking after patients with respiratory illness,” Jain said.

But he reminded the audience that masks or protective gear are not “produced en masse” and people should not indulge in crash buying or stock up on them.

Virus spray: A picture of a man sneezing, which internal medicine specialist Rahul Jain showed during a session on dos and don’ts to fight the coronavirus at South Point School on Friday. “We are all mobile spray cans when we cough or sneeze. The respiratory droplets spread from our mouths up to a range of two metres and stay in the atmosphere for a long time. We have to stop ourselves from becoming such mobile spray cans,” Jain said.

Jain demonstrates the correct way to sneeze or cough into the crook of the arm to avoid spreading infection. “One should sneeze or cough into the crook of the arm when wearing a shirt with long sleeves or one’s shoulder if one is wearing shorter sleeves. It may look bad, but it is not.

Please make it fashionable. The fabric is absorbing the virus, which could be the common cold virus, coronavirus or influenza virus. Even if it absorbs 90 per cent, it is reducing the transmission,” Jain said.

(Right) The doctor shows how to wash hands, while stressing the importance of frequent handwashing.