Definition from Wikipedia: "Mysophobia, also known as verminophobia, germophobia, germaphobia, bacillophobia and bacteriophobia, is a pathological fear of contamination and germs."
You can add Hong Kong Resident to the above list of AKAs. Hong Kong residents are fiercely scared of germs. If you want to clear a crowd in Hong Kong, all you have to do is cough and sneeze and you'll be met with looks of disgust, hands over mouths and physical avoidance. There's good reason too, Hong Kong was victim to a terrible outbreak of SARS in the early 2000s, which might have fuelled the tactics and habits for self-preservation. On top of that, we breath, at times polluted air and in a high density city. The level of paranoia can be unsettling and entertaining at the same time.
Examples include: using tissue paper to open doors, wiping down train seats before sitting down, wearing masks on the subway are all examples of preventative measures that I see on a daily basis. Most buildings will offer anti-bacterial hand sanitisers in the foyer and it's not uncommon to see signs in public areas with something to the effect of: "The door handles are regularly disinfected every 30 minutes".
The level of over prescription extends to GPs where the common diagnosis is Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, which is commonly prescribed with antibiotics. Despite all the precaution, Hong Kong is almost always in "Flu Season". January through to December, there is always somebody wearing a mask, somebody coughing, somebody taking sick leave, or somebody saying "There's a bad flu going around". There always is.
My colleague that sits next to me has been coughing and abusing the tissue box. Finally he succumbs and takes sick leave, he returns a day later and his doctor says he has an "Upper Respiratory Tract Infection". I haven't taken sick leave in over two years. I look at him and continue to breath the communal air. That glorious air conditioned, recycled air.
A day later I wake with a leaky nose, a fever and a sore throat. I take sick leave and see the doctor. The diagnosis, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection. Great.
You can add Hong Kong Resident to the above list of AKAs. Hong Kong residents are fiercely scared of germs. If you want to clear a crowd in Hong Kong, all you have to do is cough and sneeze and you'll be met with looks of disgust, hands over mouths and physical avoidance. There's good reason too, Hong Kong was victim to a terrible outbreak of SARS in the early 2000s, which might have fuelled the tactics and habits for self-preservation. On top of that, we breath, at times polluted air and in a high density city. The level of paranoia can be unsettling and entertaining at the same time.
Examples include: using tissue paper to open doors, wiping down train seats before sitting down, wearing masks on the subway are all examples of preventative measures that I see on a daily basis. Most buildings will offer anti-bacterial hand sanitisers in the foyer and it's not uncommon to see signs in public areas with something to the effect of: "The door handles are regularly disinfected every 30 minutes".
The level of over prescription extends to GPs where the common diagnosis is Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, which is commonly prescribed with antibiotics. Despite all the precaution, Hong Kong is almost always in "Flu Season". January through to December, there is always somebody wearing a mask, somebody coughing, somebody taking sick leave, or somebody saying "There's a bad flu going around". There always is.
My colleague that sits next to me has been coughing and abusing the tissue box. Finally he succumbs and takes sick leave, he returns a day later and his doctor says he has an "Upper Respiratory Tract Infection". I haven't taken sick leave in over two years. I look at him and continue to breath the communal air. That glorious air conditioned, recycled air.
A day later I wake with a leaky nose, a fever and a sore throat. I take sick leave and see the doctor. The diagnosis, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection. Great.
