Does covering the mouth really help prevent the spread of germs?
it does, but be careful to wash your hands after you cover your mouth or those germs will just go onto anything you touch. Actually now they recommend covering your mouth with the inside of your elbow instead of your hand. I did an experiment with my students where we used glitter as “germs” starting out on a few kids’ hands and watched how they spread around the classroom. Then we modeled sneezing by blowing on the glitter, first with nothing in front of your mouth, then your hand in front of your mouth, then your elbow. It was quite fun for the little ones, and I hope will make them remember the importance of covering your mouth and washing your hands!
