The role of facial contact in infection control: Renewed import in the age of coronavirus

Highlights • Men show higher rates of facial contact than women. • Rates of facial contact can vary in different social situations. • Fatigue and distraction increase rates of facial contact and subsequent infection risk.
Background Decreasing facial contact takes on new urgency as society tries to stem the tide of COVID-19 spread. A better understanding of the pervasiveness of facial contact in social settings is required in order to then take steps to mitigate the action. Methods YouTube videos of random individuals were included in a behavioral observation study to document rates of contact to the eyes, nose, and mouth area. Factors including age, sex, the presence of eyewear or facial hair, distraction and fatigue were analyzed as possible contributing factors that increase likelihood of facial contact. Results The median rate of facial contact was 22 contacts per hour. Men had a significantly higher rate of facial contact compared to women. Age, glasses, and presence of facial hair were not contributing factors. The mouth was the most frequently observed site of contact. Fatigue and distraction may increase rates of facial contact. Conclusions Changing personal behavior is a simple and cost-effective action that can be employed to reduce one's risk of acquiring an infectious disease. This study indicates that there are societal differences that put some individuals at higher risk of contracting infectious disease than others.