The US navy did a study with 3000 sailors and those washed hands 5 or more times a day were 7 times less likely to be off work ill. That was ten years.

I use’t pick up bugs on flights when the air filters were cut down, to save money, and I would get head colds some quite nasty… A well known Opera singer gave me the best tip ever….soak a cotton hanky with water and place on face for 5 or 10 minutes( you do look a right tit ! ) but it stops the fine hair’s in the nose drying out, which stops the airborn virus getting up and into the air passages. I worked in the top end of Restaurants and Event Catering and hand washing is as importand as Hospitals.

Thank you for a superbly written article on an crucial subject. Edmond Walshe