ACHOO or Covid-19? What an Instagram-based Study can Reveal
Zacharias Kalentakis*
Otorhinolaryngology Department, Sismanogleio General Hospital of Attiki, Greece
*Corresponding Author: Zacharias Kalentakis, Otorhinolaryngology Department, Sismanogleio General Hospital of Attiki, Greece.
Published: February 05, 2024
Abstract
Aims: Sudden exposure to bright light (ACHOO syndrome) could be a bizarre reason for a sneeze. Sneezing due to the explosive exhalation of potentially pathogenic droplets is an immediate danger for SARS CoV-2 contagion. This article highlights the insidious phenomenon of the photic sneeze reflex and points out the social effect of sneezing in the middle of the pandemic.
Methods: We created an Instagram account, called photicsneezereflex, to educate our followers and derive our statistics. We set, via Instagram stories, the following questions: 1) How much will you be bothered by someone who is sneezing near to you?, 2) How possible could it be to consider him/her a SARS CoV-2 carrier?, 3) How possible could it be to consider him/her a photic sneezer? The answers were scaled on a 1 to 5 climate, and a descriptive statistical analysis was carried out.
Results: For the first question, merely 25% scaled their annoyance with a score lower than three, while the median rating was 4 (mean= 3.7, SD= 1.26). Question two showed the most fluctuated results, with a median score of 3 (mean= 3, SD= 1.35). Finally, the median score for the possibility of photic sneezing was 2, with a mean=2.26 and an SD= 1.22.
Conclusions: This report primarily aims to promote that a pure habit could become very threatening for a society during a pandemic. Spreading coronaviruses widely, engendering confusion and fear, and causing frustration are only some deleterious side effects for public health and society.
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