Internet Culture

People can’t stop touching their faces–and the CDC really wants them to

Not touching your face can help avoid exposure to coronavirus.

Photo of Sierra Juarez

Sierra Juarez

person touching his face

People are painfully aware that they can’t stop touching their faces since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its coronavirus prevention methods.

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The prevention guidelines tell people to avoid touching their noses, mouths, and eyes. As coronavirus headlines continue to dominate international news, people seem to be trying to strictly follow the guidelines. There’s only one problem–apparently, it’s really hard to not touch your face.

“I have never wanted to touch my face so much as I have this week,” New Yorker writer Emily Nussbaum tweeted.

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Nussbaum isn’t the only one. People are flooding Twitter with similar messages.

https://twitter.com/gabrielroth/status/1233380474690658304
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Despite the CDC recommendations, some people say there’s no way they can stop touching their faces.

“I will continue to touch my face there’s simply nothing to be done about it,” Twitter user @BrandyLJensen wrote.

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https://twitter.com/HireMeImFunny/status/1233426372409819137

Everyone has a point. It seems like the more we get warned to not touch our face, the more we find ourselves touching it. Even worse, Twitter users say when they’re thinking about their faces too much, they realize they’re itchy.

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“Now that I’m not supposed to be touching my face my face itches ALL THE TIME,” Twitter user @KTHeaney wrote.

https://twitter.com/KTHeaney/status/1233411522468159491
https://twitter.com/Mad_Fictionista/status/1233236909066817536

Luckily, the other CDC recommendations are much easier to follow. The organization has advised people to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues, to avoid people who are sick, and to frequently wash your hands.

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The Daily Dot