ScienceToday

Pressing the elevator/ATM buttons is no longer acceptable.

Certain places are full of germs and the coronavirus pandemic made us more aware of that. For instance, were you concerned about touching the credit-card swiper or the buttons on ATMs before the pandemic? Or have you become more aware of the germs on these surfaces due to COVID-19?

Either way, it’s important that we know now what surfaces we need to avoid touching, including the buttons in an elevator. According to Dr. Okeke-Igbokwe , even after the pandemic is over, people will still be hesitant about touching these surfaces and pushing the buttons with their empty fingers.

Since the pandemic, people have started pressing the buttons by using their elbows or an object like a pen. And the same goes for pushing your pin number at the ATM. But Dr. Okeke-Igbokwe believes directly touching the keypads will be a thing of the past.

As Nikola Djordjevic, MD, cofounder of HealthCareers has explained, since COVID-19, most people have started avoiding directly touching elevator buttons and handles. Djordjevic also recommends covering your skin with clothes when touching certain surfaces or using your elbows.

If you use your empty fingers for pressing elevator buttons, wash your hands as soon as possible and make sure to avoid touching your face until you’re fully disinfected.

Read also: The Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Just Recorded Another Rare Blood Clotting Case.