I've been doing that but what happens when you released your germs into your elbow/sleeve? It wouldn't get cleaned or sanitized until you wash your clothes. So I think if you are near a sink, it would probably be better to cover nose and mouth with hand and then clean right away. But yeah, I usually do the vampire method when I'm on the go.
"I've been doing that but what happens when you released your germs into your elbow/sleeve?"
The idea is that they stay there, rather than floating through the air and infecting someone else. While "lots of germs in your sleeve" may trigger our disgust reaction, they aren't a problem until they actually get somewhere where they can reproduce. Our disgust reaction is useful and there for a reason, but a little unfocused for a species that generally understands how germs work now.
It's particularly important for the "first few" sneezes, when you don't know if you're sneezing because of dust and this is just a one-off sneeze like any other, or if it's merely the first of a long series because you've got something and you're blasting viruses. Obviously, if you're sneezing so much that you, shall we say, "exceed the capacity" of your sleeve, then please take additional appropriate steps. But a little bit is still better off shot into your sleeve than the air.
Right, but let's say someone grabs your arm, maybe a child. Or you cross your own arms not thinking about it and back on your hands. That's what I was curious about.
"Most germs can survive on fabrics for some time." [2]
And it seems some germs linger longer on clothes than skin!
"Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), another cold-like virus that can cause serious illness in children, can survive on worktops and door handles for up to 6 hours, on clothing, and tissues for 30 to 45 minutes and on skin for up to 20 minutes." [1]
However, "Flu viruses can also survive as droplets in the air for several hours". [1]
But, "Parainfluenza virus, which causes croup in children, can survive for up to 10 hours on hard surfaces and up to 4 hours on soft surfaces." [1]
So there are no absolutes but it seems to me, the best would be in your hand and then immediately clean. But if that's not feasible, probably vampire style is best. Even though some germs could linger longer on your clothes than hands, if you can't clean your hands immediately then the contact spread risk factor would be worse than the extra linger time.
