"Ah-choo!" Arthur sneezed loudly into his hands.
"Arthur, don't you have a tissue?
Please sneeze into your arm, not your hands," Mrs. MacPhee said.
"Why?" Arthur asked.
He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers.
"I can catch the sneeze droplets better with my hands."
"Cold germs spread very easily―especially after a sneeze," the teacher said.
"Every time you touch something, you could spread your cold germs."
"Eww!" Sarah said, leaning away from Arthur.
"Rhinoviruses are the most common cold viruses," Mrs. MacPhee said.
"They can live for up to 24 hours outside of the body.
They can even live on things like computer keyboards and doorknobs."
"So if I use the computer after Arthur, I might get a cold too?" Sarah asked.
The teacher nodded. "Even hours after Arthur used it."
"'Rhinovirus' sounds like 'rhinoceros!'" Cody said.
The teacher laughed.
"The word 'rhinovirus' comes from the Greek word for 'nose.'"
"I've had four colds already this winter," Sarah complained.
"Most children get eight to twelve colds a year," the teacher explained.
"There are over two hundred different viruses that cause the common cold.
Adults get only two to four colds each year.
That's because they've already been exposed to many of the viruses."
Cody put up his hand. "I read that sneeze droplets can travel almost two meters."
Sarah frowned. "That's disgusting."
"How do you think we can avoid catching a cold?" Mrs. MacPhee asked.
"Stay two meters away from somebody who is about to sneeze?" Cody guessed.
"That's not always possible," the teacher said.
"Any other ideas?"
Sarah pointed to the sink at the back of the classroom.
"Wash our hands with soap?"
"Excellent idea, Sarah," Mrs. MacPhee said.
"We should wash our hands in warm, soapy water for at least twenty seconds.
This gets rid of the germs."
Arthur put both hands over his nose and tilted his head back. "Ahh . . . ahh . . ."
The other students all leaned away from Arthur.
Arthur put down his hands and grinned.
"Just kidding. I wanted to see if you were paying attention."
"It's almost lunchtime. Everyone, please line up to wash your hands."
Mrs. MacPhee smiled at Arthur.
"Arthur, maybe you should go first!"